Phosphorus (P) is one of the most vital nutrient needed for crop production. Phosphorus plays an important role in root growth and builds resistance against abiotic stresses. In the current study two wheat cultivars (phosphorus responsive) were planted to study the treatment effects in polythene bags. The treatments were 5 different levels of P (P0 = 0.2 g/bag, P60 = 0.4 g/bag, P80 = 0.53 g/bag, P100 = 0.66 g/bag and P120 = 0.8 g/bag) and three water regimes. The data regarding root length, shoot length, root-shoot ratio and yield parameters were collected and analyzed. Among both the genotypes, NARC-2009 performed well compared to Sehar-06. The highest dry matter and yield were obtained under P100 compared to other treatments. With the increased phosphorus root and shoot length increased linearly up-to P100 while afterward it starts decreasing. The results lead to conclusion that optimum dose of phosphorus could be used to increase root growth and establishment under water stress.
Part of the book: Global Wheat Production