Kesarwani, AmitSuraj Kumar2023-03-132023-03-132022-10https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810195162A field experiment was conducted during Rabi season of 2021-22 at Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre in Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar (Uttarakhand) to evaluate the effect of foliar nutrient application on wheat quality and yield in Tarai region of Uttarakhand. The soil of the experiment site was sandy loam in texture having medium organic carbon content (0.79%), low available nitrogen (166.8 kg/ha), medium available phosphorus (14.9 kg/ha) and low available potassium (167.3 kg/ha). The experiment consisted six foliar nutrition treatments viz. 2% elemental sulphur, 2% urea, 0.5% Zn EDTA, 1% KCl, a combination of S + N + Zn + K and without foliar spray treatment. The four wheat varieties used in the experiments were HD 3226, HI 1544, DBW 187 and PBW 1 Zn. The foliar application was done at stem elongation and milking stage. The experiment was laid in strip plot design with three replications. The sowing was done on 21st of November at 20 cm row spacing with recommended practices of wheat cultivation and seed rate of 100 kg/ha. The result indicated that 2% urea spray led to a significant increase in plant height, tiller count and dry matter accumulation, SPAD values and chlorophyll content compared to other treatments. Morever higher grain, straw and biological yield with good economic return was recorded with 0.5% EDTA compared to rest of the treatments which can be attributed to better crop response to zinc at milking stage. However, 2% urea achieved higher BC ratio compared to 0.5% EDTA due to low cost incurred in urea treatment. Among varieties, DBW 187 recorded significantly higher tiller count, dry matter accumulation, number of spikes/ m², grain yield, net return and BC ratio because of its higher yield potential and better response to foliar nutrition. PBW 1 Zn recorded higher SPAD values and chlorophyll due to more plant nitrogen content. Nitrogen and phosphorus content in grain and straw were higher in 2% urea treatment followed by 0.5% Zn EDTA treatment but K content and S content were significantly higher in 0.5% KCl and 2% elemental S treatment respectively. Zn content was significantly higher in 0.5% Zn EDTA treatment followed by 2% urea. Foliar application of nutrients particularly urea and zinc increased nutrient content in wheat crop. The amount of N, P, K and S content in grain and straw in varieties followed similar trend however, PBW 1 Zn being a zinc fortified variety reported highest Zn content in grain. Grain protein content was highest in 2% urea treatment and variety PBW 1 Zn as a result of higher grain nitrogen content. Sedimentation value and hectolitre weight was statistically similar for all treatments except no foliar spray. HD 3226 had higher sedimentation value and hectolitre weight indicating strong wheat flour with good gluten content, higher flour yield and starch content. It can thus be concluded that application of 2% urea and 0.5% Zn EDTA led to statistically greater growth, grain yield, grain quality, nutrient content, net return and benefit-cost ratio at stem elongation and milking stage compared to other treatments. DBW 187 recorded significantly higher grain yield, net return and BC ratio. Grain quality was higher in HD 3226 followed by PBW 1 Zn and DBW 187.EnglishThesis