Management of nitrogen through the use of Leaf Colour Chart (LCC) and Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) in wheat under irrigated ecosystem

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in a farmer's field in the district of Nadia in West Bengal, India, to study the management of nitrogen (N) through leaf colour chart (LCC) and soil plant analysis development (SPAD), based on chlorophyll meter in wheat (cv. UP-262). During the dry seasons of 2001 – 2002 and 2002 – 2003. Treatment combinations were taken based on different levels of N at fixed-schedule and through LCC and SPAD. The experimental soil (0 – 15 cm) had pH, 7.33; organic C, 0.43%; available N, 408.70 kg ha−1; available P, 6.92 kg ha−1 and available K, 66.31 kg ha−1. The results of LCC and SPAD or chlorophyll meter for the nitrogen management in wheat show that values of both LCC and SPAD significantly increased with an increasing level of N. The mean values of LCC and SPAD varied from 3.14 – 5.14 and 26.52 – 37.00, respectively in wheat. The results show that the amount of N can be preserved as 40 – 67.5 and 57.5 – 72.5 kg ha−1 through the use of LCC and SPAD in wheat over the fixed timing N treatment T7 where 150 kg N ha−1 was applied in three splits without reduction in the yield. The SPAD and LCC-treated N plot showed higher N-use efficiency over fixed-scheduling N treatment in wheat. The results further show that the SPAD value of 37 and LCC value of 5 are better than SPAD (35) and LCC (4) for the best management of N in wheat in an Inceptisol.