Response of Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)Varieties to Different Seeding Rate for Growth, Yield and Yield Components in Kombolcha District, North-Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract

In Kombolcha district the productivity of wheat is for below the crop’s potential mainly due to biotic and a biotic constraint. Seeding rate and local low yielding varieties are among the most important agronomic factors which need great emphasis for maximum yield of crops.Field experiment was conducted in Kombolcha in 2016/2017main growing season to investigate response of bread wheat varieties to different seeding rate for growth, yield and yield components. The experiment was laid out using randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in factorial arrangement of three different seeding rates (100, 125 and 150 kg seed ha-1) and four bread wheat varieties (Picaflor, Gassay, Dinknesh and Tay). The result sowed that days to 50% heading, days to 90% physiological maturity, plant height, spike length and thousand kernel weight were significantly (p<0.01) affected by the main effect of seeding rates and varieties whereas, effective tiller number at (p<0.05), biomass yield at (p<0.05), grain yield at (P<0.01) and harvest index at (P<0.01) was affected by only seeding rates. Number of kernels per spike also affected by seed rate at (p<0.05) significant level and varieties at (p<0.01) significant level. Moreover, the interaction effect of seed rate and variety also affected both days to 50% heading and spike length at (p<0.01) significant level but other parameters was not affected by the interaction effect of seed rate and variety. Therefore based on the result of growth, yield and yield component parameters and economic analysis result wheat sown at seeding rate of 100 kg ha-1 had better growth, yield and yield component and economically profitable compared to higher seeding rate (150 kg ha-1). The interactive effect of pikaflore with 100 kg ha-1 seed rate was face superior for achieving higher yield in the study area. However, further study has to be done under different locations and seasons with a wide range of seed rates and varieties to exploit tentative recommendation of the present study. Keywords: Bread wheat, Seed rate, Variety, Grain yiel