Irrigated wheat in North West Frontier Province: A synthesis of On-farm research results 1983-86

Abstract

This paper presents the data obtained from on-farm experiments on tillage, variety, weed control, and fertilizer in the irrigated areas of Mardan, Peshawar, and Swat Districts of NWFP. More emphasis is given to Mardan District, the major irrigated area of the province. The study was conducted jointly from 1983-86 by the Wheat Program, NARC, CIMMYT, and the outreach program at the Cereal Crops Research Institute, Pirsabak, NWFP. From 1983-84 to 1985-86, 127 experiments were conducted on different aspects of crop management (tillage, variety, weed control, and fertilizer). Fields were selected where the previous crop was either maize or sugarcane. Trials were mostly researcher managed and designed to obtain quantitative data on potential yields in the area. Most of the trials were unreplicated. Based on 14 experiments, deep primary tillage gave 10.6% more yield than traditional farmers' practices. Although the cost of deep plowing was double that of traditional methods, it gave higher net benefits. In the varietal trials, Pirsabak-85 and Pak-81 (both Veery lines) were higher yielding than the other two varieties tested, Sarhad-82 and Sarhad-83, and also showed good stripe and leaf rust resistance. Broadleaf weeds were a serious problem in the area but could easily and economically be controlled by the Phenoxy-type herbicides like Buctril-M, 2,4-0 and MCPA. Dicuran-MA proved to be the best herbicide for controlling the grassy weeds, Avena fatua and Phalaris minor. Application of herbicides mixed with sand and broadcast was as effective as spraying, provided the chemicals were uniformly broadcast Based on economic analysis of fertilizer response curves, the recommended doses for wheat after maize were 106-38 kg/ha of N-P205 and for wheat after sugarcane, 107-65 kg/ha. Nitrogen doses from 80 to 170 kg/ha and phosphorus from 30 to 130 kg/ha were economical, depending on how much the farmer can afford.