Effect of Organic and Inorganic Amendments on Growth, Yield Attributes and Yield of Wheat in Sodic Vertisols of Nimar Valley
A field experiment was conducted at the AICRP on Management of Saline Water and Associated Salinization in Agriculture, RVSKVV, College of Agriculture, Indore, at Salinity Research Farm, Baphalgaon, Barwaha, District Khargone (M.P.), to evaluate the effects of gypsum and Gliricidia sepium green leaf biomass on the growth and yield of wheat under sodic Vertisols. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications and comprised three levels of gypsum requirement (0, 50 and 75% GR) and three levels of Gliricidia biomass (0, 5 and 10 t ha-1). The results showed that increasing levels of gypsum and Gliricidia significantly improved plant population, plant height, number of tillers, dry matter accumulation, yield attributes, and wheat yield. The 75% GR treatment recorded the highest plant population (130.0 m-2), plant height at harvest (89.1 cm), tillers per plant (6.60), dry matter accumulation (22.73 g plant-1), grain spikes (19.8 plant-1), test weight (24.02 g), grain yield (3878.3 kg ha-1), straw yield (5150.0 kg ha-1), and biological yield (9028.3 kg ha-1). Similarly, the application of 10 t ha-1 Gliricidia produced superior growth and yield parameters. The combined use of gypsum and Gliricidia was effective in improving wheat productivity under sodic soil conditions. The study indicates that the integrated application of 75% gypsum requirement together with 10 t ha-1 Gliricidia biomass is a promising strategy for sustainable wheat production in sodic Vertisols of the Nimar Valley.