Effect of planting methods and N rates on lodging, morphological characters of culm and yield in spring wheat varieties

The aim of the investigation was to test high yielding spring wheat varieties under different N rates and planting methods for characterizing the lodging resistance parameters and enhancing the yield by reducing lodging. Bed planting increased stem weight (8.1 %), spike weight (7.2 %), diameter of first (3.8 %), second (7.1 %), third (8.2 %) intemode and peduncle (9.0 %) as compared to fiat planted crop and this lead to 70–75 % reduction in lodging score. Raising on beds also gave significantly higher biomass (18.48 t/ha), grain yield (8.75 t/ha), thousand grain weight (41.1 g), grains/spike (42) and grains/m2 (19154) as compared to other planting methods, despite lodging during last irrigation (25–30 days after anthesis). On the other hand, grain yield under permanent bed system (non-tilled during last five years) was 28 % lesser than bed planting due to 25–30 % reduction in spikes/m2 and grains/m2. Effect of N rates on yield and morphological parameters was at par due to recommended or higher N use besides green manuring. Baviacora 92 produced significantly higher biomass (17.1 t/ha), grain yield (8.5 t/ha) and had significantly higher stem and spike weight, diameter and stem wall thickness of different intemodes than other varieties. It also recorded 7 % higher grain yield with bed planting (9.5 t/ha) as compared to flat planting (8.8 t/ha). Since this variety didn’t lodge in either planting system therefore it could be said that increase in yield was due to planting on beds. So, it can be said that wheat growing on beds reduces lodging by way of more vigorous stem development and enables to exploit potential yield.