Use of natural nitrogen stabilizers to improve nitrogen use efficiency and wheat crop yield

Abstract

Complex nature of nitrogen fertilizer in soil and poor management practices are major causes of low fertilizer use efficiency in Pakistan. These factors further increases nitrogen losses in form of nitrate leaching and volatilization of ammonium, as well as nitric oxide which are burning economic and environmental threats. Keeping in view the demand of urea application in Pakistan and its low efficiency, we hypothized that appropriate urea management with neem formulations or biofertilizers can enhance the nitrogen use efficiency. We designed experiment with treatments: T0 (N0 application), T1 (recommended nitrogen), T2 (recommended nitrogen + biofertilizer), T3 (recommended nitrogen + neem seed extract), T4 (75% recommended nitrogen + biofertilizer), T5 (75% recommended nitrogen + neem seed extract), T6 (recommended nitrogen + biofertilizer + neem seed extract), T7 (75% recommended nitrogen + biofertilizer + neem seed extract) in wheat crop. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with split plot arrangements. Different approaches for stabilized nitrogen fertilizer responded significantly for the wheat plant height, tillers per plant, number of grains per spike, 1000-grain yield, grain yield and harvest index. Result exhibited that wheat crop enhanced yield attributes and finally the yield under treatment T6 and T7 for both wheat cultivars. Treatments comparison with recommended nitrogen (T1) revealed that all treatments with biofertilizer, as well as with neem seed, enhanced crop performance along with nitrogen use efficiency. It can be concluded that nitrogen fertilizer can be stabilized in the soil with the use of different natural products for sustainable crop production.