Effects of land preparation methods, farm yard manure and nitrogen on wheat production on a high terrace soil at Addamar area (Sudan

Abstract

This study was executed at the extension of Hudeiba Research Station farm on a high terrace soil of the River Nile in two consecutive seasons (2003/04 and 2004/05) to study the effects of land preparation methods, farm yard manure and nitrogen on wheat production. The soil is Sodic Haplocalcids, fine, mixed, hyperthermic and is correlated to Mukabrab soil series. Two land preparation methods (LPM) were made viz: disc ploughing and disc ploughing coupled with chiseling. To each of these land preparation methods 15 tons of farm yard manure per hectare were applied except for the control. Each LPM received three rates of nitrogen (0, 43 and 86 kg N/ha). The total number of treatments was nine. Treatments were arranged in a split plot design with four replicates. The method of land preparation was taken as the main plot whereas the different rates of nitrogen were assigned to the subplots. The results indicated highly significant increase in each of plant height, length of spike, number of seeds per spike, 1000 seed weight and grain yield of wheat when the FYM and/or nitrogen were applied, irrespective of the method of land preparation. The combined analysis gave insignificant differences in wheat grain yield between the two LPM. The treatment disc ploughing + 15 tones FYM/ha + 86 kg N/ha proved to be superior over that of disc ploughing + chiseling + 15 tones FYM/ha + 86 kg N/ha with respect to wheat production in the soil under investigation.