Enhancing Wheat Yield and Phosphorus Use Efficiency in Calcareous Soil

One pot and one field were conducted during 2011-12 to evaluate the effect of foliar P on maize seedlings growth response and growth, yield and P uptake by wheat crop, respectively. Both the treatments were conducted on the same soil Peshawar series which was non-saline but strongly calcareous and alkaline in reaction. The data on maize shoot height showed increasing trend over control with P application either through soil or as foliar spray but the effect was statistically not significant that might be due to less time as the plant was harvested just 35 d after germination. The maize shoot weight showed a significant response to treatments whereby the application of applied P either as soil or foliar spray alone or in combination significantly enhanced the maize shoot weight over control. Results obtained on maize study in pot and field trial on wheat indicated that foliar application of P has potential supplementing role in increasing the growth, yield and P use efficiency. The shoot weight of 35 d old maize and yield and yielding components of wheat as well as concentrations of P and K in plant leaves and post harvest soil P were significantly improved with foliar applied P.