Effect of seed rate and plant growth regulators on productivity and quality of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under early sowing in North Western Plains Zone

The present field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Farm of Raja Balwant Singh College, Bichpuri Agra, during Rabi season of 2023-24 to evaluate the “Effect of seed rate and plant growth regulators on productivity and quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under early sowing in North Western Plains Zone”. The Variables involved in this study were three seed rates viz., 100 kg ha-1 (SR3), 80 kg ha-1 (SR2) and 60 kg ha-1 (SR1) in main plot, and five growth regulators viz., water spray (GR1), Drum rolling (30 and 45 DAS) (GR2), 100 ppm, 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic Acid (TIBA) (Auxin transport inhibitor) at tiller initiation stage (GR3), 100 ppm, 6-benzyl amino purine (Cytokinin derivative) at tiller initiation stage (GR4) and two sprays as tank mix-Chlormequat chloride (Lihocin) @ 0.2% + tebuconazole (Folicur 430 SC) @ 0.1% of commercial product dose at first node and flag leaf (Tank mix application) (GR5) in sub plot. Thus, in all 15 treatment combinations were compared in a split plot design seed rate in main plots and growth regulators in sub plots with three replications. The soil of experimental field was sandy loam in texture with a pH 8.42. The soil was low in available nitrogen (181.45 Kg ha-1), medium in available phosphorus (28.34 kg P205 ha-1) and potash (283.76 kg K2O ha-1). Studies were made during the investigation viz., Growth and development (germination counts at 15 DAS and crop stnad metre-1 row length, plant height (cm), dry matter accumulation (g), days to 75% spike emergence and days to maturity; yield attributes viz., number of spike, no. of grain spike-1, weight of grains spike-1 (g) and test weight (g); per hectare studies viz., Biological, grain, straw yield (q ha-1) and harvest index (%); qualitative studies viz., N, P K content (%) and uptake (kg ha-1); economics viz., Gross returns, net returns ( ha-1) and B: C ratio. Seed rate 100 kg ha-1 (SR3) was found better growth characters; yield attributes and yield, comparison to all other seed rate, application of 100 ppm, 2, 3, 5-triiodobenzoic Acid (TIBA) (Auxin transport inhibitor) at tiller initiation stage (GR3) was found better growth characters; yield attributes and yield, comparison to all other plant growth regulators and maximum net returns ( 132918 ha-1) and B: C ratio (3.43) of wheat crop, application of 100 kg ha-1 (SR3) with 100 ppm, 2, 3, 5-triiodobenzoic Acid (TIBA) (Auxin transport inhibitor) at tiller initiation stage (GR3), respectively.