Agro-economic evaluation of sulphur fertilisation of wheat (Triticum aestivum) under wheat–rice (Oryza sativa) cropping sequence in Indo-Gangetic plains

SUNIL KUMAR  PRAJAPATI; DINESH  KUMAR; Y S  SHIVAY; M C MEENA; ARTI  BHATIA; SEEMA  SANGWAN; ANJALI  ANAND; SANDEEP  GAWDIYA; NILUTPAL  SAIKIA; SK ASRAFUL  ALI

doi:10.56093/ijas.v96i4.168298

Authors

SUNIL KUMAR PRAJAPATI ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
DINESH KUMAR ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
Y S SHIVAY ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
M C MEENA ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
ARTI BHATIA ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
SEEMA SANGWAN ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
ANJALI ANAND ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
SANDEEP GAWDIYA ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
NILUTPAL SAIKIA ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India
SK ASRAFUL ALI ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012, India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v96i4.168298

Keywords:

Leaf area index, Monetary efficiency, NDVI, Nutrient management, SPAD, Wheat productivity

Abstract

The present field experiment was aimed to study the agro-economic evaluation of sulphur fertilisation on growth attributes, yield, production and monetary efficiency of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in wheat–rice (Oryza sativa L.) cropping sequence conducted during the winter (rabi) seasons of 2023–24 and 2024–25 at the Research Farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. The experiment was conducted in randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replications consisting of five sulphur levels, viz. 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 kg S/ha. Results showed that the application of sulphur significantly enhanced growth attributes such as height, tiller, dry matter accumulation (DMA), yield and monetary efficiency. In 2023–24, 45 kg S/ha improved plant height by 12.4%, tillers/m² by 59.7% and DMA by 80.2% over the control. Similarly, in 2024–25, 30 kg S/ha increased plant height by 10.6%, tillers by 66.6% and DMA by 80.7%. Physiological traits like LAI, SPAD and NDVI were also enhanced. LAI rose by 50.8% in 2023–24 and 53.0% in 2024–25 with 30 kg S/ha, while SPAD increased by 14.6% and 16.8% and NDVI by 17.7% and 20.2% over the control in respective years. Grain yield increased by 43% (2023–24) and 38.4% (2024–25) with 45 and 30 kg S/ha, respectively. Agronomic efficiency peaked at 30 kg S/ha in 2023–24 (56.3 kg grain/kg S) and 15 kg S/ha in 2024–25 (95.3 kg grain/kg S). Production efficiency increased by 42.9% in 2023–24 and 38.3% in 2024–25 with 45 and 30 kg S/ha over the control, respectively. Sulphur fertilisation at 30–45 kg/ha consistently improved growth, yield and profitability, with 30 kg/ha being the most efficient rate.

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