Bed Sowing Improved Wheat Yield and Net Returns under Different Seed Types in Semi-arid Conditions of Pakistan

The agricultural productivity frequently suffers from ineffective farming practices in Pakistan. The traditional sowing methods such as broadcasting are significant barriers for getting higher wheat yield in Pakistan. Therefore, this field study was conducted to explore the effects of sowing methods (broadcasting, drill sowing and bed sowing) using different seed types (domestic and certified seed) on wheat productivity and net benefits. The design used for this study was randomized complete block design with factorial arrangements. The results showed that bed sown wheat observed higher growth and all yield-related traits as compared to wheat sown using drill and broadcast methods. The bed sown wheat had 47% higher yield compared with broadcasted wheat and 9% higher grain yield compared with drill-sown wheat. Likewise, the bed-sown wheat using certified seed had almost double net returns compared with broadcasted wheat using domestic seed and 9% more net returns compared with drill-sown wheat by using even certified seed. Moreover, the broadcasting resulted in the lowest wheat yield due to notable decline in crop growth and yield-related traits. In crux, bed-sown and drill-sown wheat seemed a viable option to get higher wheat yield compared with the wheat sown by conventional broadcasting method. Therefore, the bed sowing and drill sowing methods are recommended to maximize wheat yield and net returns.