Impact of compost and bio-fertilizers on performance of spring wheat at Kailali district of Nepal

Year 2025, Volume: 7 Issue: 2, 173 - 188

Archana Chaudhary , Raksha Sharma , Devraj Rajbanshi , Binod Bohara , Priyanka Rasali

https://doi.org/10.53663/turjfas.1650869

Abstract

The imbalanced application of chemicals has degraded the environment, reduced soil fertility and declined crop productivity. To promote sustainable agriculture through integrated nutrient management, a study was conducted to evaluate the combined effects of inorganic fertilizers, compost and bio-fertilizers on performance of wheat. The research was carried out from December 8, 2023 to April 21, 2024 in factorial randomized complete block design having 3 replications and 8 treatments at Agronomy farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Tikapur, Kailali, Nepal. The treatments consisted control group and combinations of compost manure treated with effective micro-organisms (EM-1) and Trichoderma viride, applied to wheat varieties; Aaditya and Gautam. Results indicated combination of all fertilizers in both the varieties (i.e, in T3: Gautam+Compost manure+EM-1+Trichoderma and T7: Aaditya+Compost manure+EM-1+Trichoderma) outperformed all other treatments, showing significant plant height, effective tillers, spike length, grains per spike and yield. Aaditya recorded with significant increase in peduncle length (23.55 cm) and 1000-grain weight (49.25 g) whereas Gautam showed the highest plant height (106.67 cm), spike length (13.23 cm) and straw yield (6.44 t ha-1). However, Aaditya and Gautam exhibited non-significant increase in grain yield i.e. 4.35 t ha-1 and 4.22 t ha-1. The combined application of fertilizers showed 19.69% increase in grain yield (4.68 t ha-1) ensuring good performance over control in all parameters.

Keywords

Aaditya , Chemical , Effective micro-organisms , Gautam , Peduncle length , Trichoderma

Ethical Statement

Not applicable

Supporting Institution

This study was conducted without financial support

Thanks

The authors would like to express deepest gratitude the School of Agriculture Science, Far Western University and to ICIMOD, GRAPE FA-2 project for providing an opportunity to work with them. We are indebted to Laxmi Awasthi for her countless support and help during the research work. We also appreciate the valuable contribution of lab boys, field staff and juniors during the experimental period

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