Interaction Effect of Iron and Nickel on Growth and Yield of Wheat Grown on Typic ustochrepts Soil

The pot experiment was conducted at the Micronutrient Research Project (ICAR) experimental site, B. A. College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand (Gujarat) during rabi season of the year 2012–2013. The experiment was laid out in a Factorial Completely Randomized Design (FCRD), comprising twenty five treatment combinations of five levels each of Fe (0, 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 mg Fe kg−1) and Ni (0, 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 mg Ni kg−1), which were repeated three times. The observations on plant height (at flowering, milking and grain filling stages), spike length, grain yield, straw yield and total yield were recorded. The results indicated that significantly higher plant height and spike length of wheat were noticed due to 10 mg kg−1 Fe than control (Fe0). Likewise, significantly higher plant height and spike length were recorded due to 5 mg kg−1 Ni. The application of Fe @ 10 mg Fe kg−1 showed significantly highest grain and total yield of wheat, while straw yield under Fe10 was on par with Fe25 and Fe5 levels. The Ni application at Ni25 and Ni5 recorded maximum (3.66 g pot−1) grain yield and maximum (10.43 g pot−1) total yield was noted under Ni5, but Ni25 and Ni5 were at par. In case of straw also Ni5 registered maximum yield of 6.77 g pot−1, it was on par with Ni25 and Ni10 levels.