Boron Fertilization Alleviates the Adverse Effects of Late Sowing in Wheat under Different Tillage Systems

Abstract

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a staple and the most important food crop around the world. The growth and productivity of wheat are influenced by different factors, viz., sowing time, tillage system and nutrient application. The current field experiment consists of different boron (B) application rates, viz., B0 = No application (Control), B1 = soil applied (2 kg ha−1), B2 = foliar applied (2 kg ha−1), B3 = water spray; two tillage systems, viz., zero tillage (ZT) and conventional tillage (CT); and three sowing dates (S1 = 15 November; S2 = 5 December and S3 = 25 December). It was conducted during the years 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 under a split-split plot arrangement. The results showed that sowing dates and boron had beneficial impacts on the growth and productivity of wheat. The wheat crop sown on 15 November showed the highest plant height, chlorophyll contents, grains per spike, and grains’ boron content. Similarly, the application of boron under late sown conditions also improved the plant height (83.8 cm), chlorophyll contents (45.6), biological (5418 kg ha−1) and grain (4018 kg ha−1) yield as compared to control during both years. Furthermore, the higher crop growth and yield parameters were noted with the foliar application of boron at 2 kg ha−1. However, wheat crop growth and yield characteristics were not significantly affected by tillage techniques, h. In conclusion, the application of boron @ 2 kg ha−1 could be a suitable option for achieving higher wheat grain yield and productivity under late-sown conditions.