Status of different varieties and fertilizer use in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in sri muktsar Sahib District of Punjab

A survey was conducted in different blocks of Sri Muktsar Sahib District of Punjab, to assess the area under recommended varieties, to generate information of fertilizer use and yield of wheat. A total of 198 farmers were interviewed personally. It was found that between 90 to 96 per cent of total wheat area was under recommended varieties, while 10 per cent under un-recommended varieties. The maximum area 62–82 per cent was under HD 2967, with average productivity 5.2 t/ha followed by 4.0–17.6 per cent area under HD 3086 variety. Among un-recommended wheat varieties, Barbet was the most popular variety in the district. It was observed that area under un-recommended varieties decreased by 20 per cent during the year 201516 compared to 2013–14. It was further revealed 18 per cent of the farmers were applying fertilizer-N at recommended rate, while 82 per cent were applying at higher rate. On the other hand, only 2 per cent of the farmers were applying fertilizer-P higher than recommended by the Punjab Agricultural University. About 93 per cent of the farmers did not applied potash to wheat, because of high available K content in the soils. Similarly, 90 per cent of the farmers did not apply zinc (Zn) to wheat, because famers are applying Zn to rice grown in rice-wheat cropping system. In areas where, wheat was sown on light textured soils under rice-wheat cropping system, about 50 per cent of the farmers were applying manganese (Mn) to wheat.