Bonemeal Biocompost Enhances Wheat Yield and Phosphorus Use Efficiency in Phosphorus Deficient Soil

Bonemeal biocompost is a valuable organic fertilizer rich in phosphorus (P) and primarily derived from animal bones. A field study was conducted at the experimental fields of the Soil & Environment Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Tandojam, to study wheat yield and P use efficiency in relation to different rates of bonemeal biocompost. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with four treatments involving graded application doses of bonemeal biocompost, viz., T1: 0 kg ha-1 (control), T2: 2500 kg ha-1, T3: 3000 kg ha-1, T4: 3500 kg ha-1. Each treatment was replicated thrice. The results showed that the growth and yield parameters, P content, and P use-efficiency of wheat were significantly influenced by different rates of bonemeal biocompost. The application of bonemeal biocompost at 3500 kg ha-1 along with recommended doses of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus produced maximum plant height (80.3 cm), numbers of tillers (332.9 m-2), spike length (10.6 cm), number of spikelet spike-1 (16.2 cm), number of grains spike-1 (39.6), seed index (44.4 g), straw yield (3556 kg ha-1), grain yield (3951 kg ha-1), P content of grain (0.98%) and straw (0.07%), and P use-efficiency (62.9%). The harvest index of various treatments was non-significant. It is concluded from this study that the application of bonemeal biocompost at 3500 kg ha-1 significantly improves the growth, yield, P content and P use efficiency of wheat. We suggest further studies to evaluate the efficacy of bonemeal to support and/or lower the use of chemical fertilizers involving different crops, soil types, and climatic conditions.