EFFECT OF SEED RATES SOWN ON DIFFERENT DATES ON WHEAT UNDER AGRO-ECOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF DERA GHAZI KHAN - A. U. Malik; M. Ahmad alias H. A. Bukhsh; I. Hussain (Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, 2009)
A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different seed rates on different sowing dates to suggest the appropriate seed rate of wheat for different sowing dates in the agro ecological conditions of the Dera Ghazi Khan zone. The wheat was sown with three sowing dates (D1) 15th November, (D2) 30th November and (D3) 15th December, using three seed rates viz: (S1) 125, (S2) 150, and (S3) 175 kg ha-1, respectively. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement, keeping sowing dates in main plot and seed rates in sub plot with three blocks. The plot size was 6m x 25 m. It was observed that delayed sowing decreased grain yield due to decrease in germination count m-2, number of grains spike-1 and 1000-grain weight where as increase in seed rate did not affect grain yield. The interactive effects of sowing dates and seed rates were significant. The highest grain yield (3360 Kg ha-1) was recorded when 125 kg ha-1 was used for sowing on 15th November. Thus, wheat should be preferably sown on 15th November with seed rate of 125 kg ha-1 in Dera Ghazi Khan zone.
Keywords: journal article; Wheat; sowing dates; seed rates; yield and its components