干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Optimization of planting time and seed rate are of prime importance to determine crop yield with change in climate. Hence, a field experiment was conducted using two-factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD) with split-plot arrangement where sowing time was assigned to main plots and seed rates were assigned to subplots to evaluate the response of wheat to varying seed rates (90, 100, 110, 120, 130 and 140 kg ha(-1)) and planting time (sowing started from October 25 with a 10-d gap till December 15). Different planting time significantly affected heading stage, spike length, plant height, number of spikes per unit area, 1000-grain weight, biological and grain yield, and harvest index. Similarly various seed rates also had significantly affected spike production, grains per spike, grain weight, biomass, grain yield, and harvest index. Significant interactive effect of planting days and seed rates was noticed for spike production, 1000-grain weight and yield. Thus, to maximize yield, wheat should be grown from 25th October to 5th November at the rate of 120 kg seed ha(-1) in the central plains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and other regions of similar agro-climatic conditions.