EFFECT OF SOIL AND FOLIAR APPLICATIONS OF DIFFERENT DOSES OF NPK FERTILIZERS ON QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L.) CROP

Abstract

Two field experiments were designed in the Farm of SidsAgricultural Reasearch Station, ARC, Beni Swif Governorate, Egypt tostudy the effect of different doses of N, P, and K through soil and foliarapplications and their interactions on wheat plant (Triticum aestivum L.).Three levels of soil NPK applications, i.e., 0.0, 50%, and 100% from itsrecommended rates (RR) and four foliar spraying treatments were used(without spraying and spraying two, threee and four times). The resultsrevealed that, plant height, dry weight/plant, number of spikes/m2,number of grains/spike, grain and straw yields, N, P and K concentrationand uptake by grains and/or straw as well as protein percentages ingrains were significantly increased by increasing the soil application ofN, P and K up to the recommended rates or by spraying the plants fourtimes. Combined 50% RR NPK + foliar spraying four times gave highestvalues of the abovementioned parameters, equal to those obtained by100% RR NPK. The highest values of N, P and K uptake by grainsand/or straw and protein percentage in grains produced under 100% RR+ foliar spraying four times. The weight of thouthand grain significantlyincreased by increasing soil application rates, while, it did not affect bythe number of foliar spraying numbers.