Above and below Ground Dried Biomass of Wheat and Biomass Derived Indices as Influenced by Bio Priming Levels and Nitrogen Management Practices under Agro-climatic Conditions of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of bio priming levels and nitrogen management practices on dry biomass accumulation of wheat and crop growth indices during two consecutive rabi seasons of year 2020-21 and 2021-22. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design (Factorial) consisting of factor I bio priming with two levels viz. P0 (without bio priming) and P1 (with bio priming) and factor II nitrogen management with seven levels viz. N0 (Control), N1 (90 kg N ha-1 through urea), N2 (63 kg N ha-1 through urea + 27 kg N ha-1 through FYM), N3 (120 kg N ha-1 through urea), N4 (84 kg N ha-1 through urea + 36 kg N ha-1 through FYM), N5 (150 kg N ha-1 through urea) and N6 (105 kg N ha-1 through urea + 45 kg N ha-1 through FYM). The results showed that level P1 recorded significantly higher shoot dry matter accumulation (280.15 and 295.07 g running m-1) and root dry matter accumulation (186.77 and 196.71 g running m-1) during both the years of study at harvest stage while crop growth rate was found significant for second experimental year only in the growth period of 90 days after sowing- At harvest (9.49 g m-2 day-1). As for relative growth rate during interval of 90 DAS- At harvest, P0 recorded higher value (0.00688 and 0.00728 g g-1 day-1) although found at par with level P1 during both the years of study. Application of N6 proved superiority in shoot dry matter accumulation (284.26 and 302.24 g running m-1) and root dry matter accumulation (189.51 and 201.49 g m-1 row length) during both the years and was statistically at par with level N5 during both the experimental years except for crop growth rate which was found significant (9.68 g m-2 day-1) only in the second year of experiment for the growth stage interval of 90 DAS- At harvest. The relative growth rate for 90 DAS- At harvest interval got the highest significant maximum value with N0 (0.00732 and 0.00735 g g-1 day-1) although found at par with other levels of nitrogen management during both the years.