Effect of Different Nitrogen Rates on Productivity and Quality Traits of Wheat Cultivars

THIS STUDY quantified the optimum doses of nitrogen (N) fertilizers for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). A field experiments were conducted in 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 seasons in a farm of the Faculty of Agriculture at Kafrelsheikh University. This study was laid out in a split plot design with three replications in RCBD. Wheat cultivars, Gemmeiza 11, Giza 171, Giza 168 and Sakha 94 were allocated in the main plots. Six different doses of nitrogen, i.e. 0, 25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 kg N/fad were used. The studied characters were agronomic and seeds technology traits. The results indicated that significant differences among the studied wheat cultivars in all agronomic studied and seeds technology were observed. Sakha 94 recorded the highest number of days to heading and maturity, plant height and Gemmeiza 11 recorded the highest values in number of spikes/m2 in both seasons. Sakha 94 and Gemmeiza 11 recorded the highest values for 1000 grain weight in 2014/15 and 2015/16 seasons, respectively. Sakha 94 recorded the highest values for grain/spike in 2015/16 season. Sakha 94 recorded the highest values for EC in 2014/15, hectoliter, density, root length, and protein percentage in both seasons. Gemmeiza 11 superior the other cultivars for both of grain and straw yield and for EC in 2015/16 and for shoot length in both seasons. Giza 168 recorded the highest values for density in both seasons. Increases in nitrogen fertilizer increased significantly number of days to heading and maturity, plant height, spikes/m2, grain/spike, grain and straw yield, while decreased 1000 grain weight. There were significant differences among N levels treatments regarding EC, hectoliter weight, density, root length, shoot length, dry weight and protein percentage in both seasons. Application of 100 kg N/fad resulted in higher values than other treatments for all traits except EC in both seasons were decreased.