Kartik Salvi, S.C. Meena, K.K. Yadav, Lokesh Gupta, R.H. Meena, Hemant Swami and Pramod Kumar
Abstract
A long-term field experiment was conducted during rabi 2023-24 and 2024-25 at the Instructional Farm, Rajasthan College of Agriculture, Udaipur, to assess the effect of organic and inorganic fertilization on growth parameters of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under a maizeâwheat cropping sequence. The trial, representing the 26th and 27th cropping cycles of the ongoing study initiated in 1997, comprised twelve nutrient management treatments laid out in a randomized block design with four replications. Growth parameters, namely plant height and dry matter accumulation (DMA), were significantly influenced by fertilization practices. Across years and pooled data, the integrated treatment of 100% NPK + FYM @ 10 t ha-¹ (T) consistently recorded the maximum plant height (97.42 cm) and DMA (23.29 g plant-¹), showing a 78.7% and 75% increase, respectively, over the control. Treatments with higher fertilizer application (150% NPK, T7) and combined FYM with NPK (T7) were statistically at par with T7, whereas control and nutrient-omission plots (100% NP, 100% N, and no fertilizer) recorded significantly lower values. The results highlight the superiority of integrated nutrient management in enhancing growth performance of wheat by improving nutrient availability and soil health. The findings reinforce the importance of combining organic and inorganic sources for sustainable productivity and long-term fertility management in cereal-based cropping systems.