Assessing the Impact of Previous Kharif Crops and Fertilizer Application on Growth, Yield, and Nutrient Uptake in Succeeding Wheat (Triticum aestivum)

A field experiment was carried out during the 2022-23 and 2023-24 kharif and rabi seasons at Gram Dharavara, District Dhar. The goal was to understand how different preceding kharif crops and fertilizer management affect the growth, yield, nutrient uptake, and overall economic benefits of the following wheat crop (Triticum aestivum L.). The experiment was set up using a split plot design. The main plots included four different kharif crops: greengram (Vigna radiata), sesame (Sesamum indicum), pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum), and fodder sorghum (Sorghum bicolor). For the subplots, five different fertilizer treatments were tested: 100%, 75%, and 50% of the recommended dose of fertilizers (RDF), along with combinations of 75% and 50% RDF plus Azotobacter and PSB (phosphate solubilizing bacteria). Each treatment was repeated four times for accuracy. Wheat grown after greengram showed the best growth and yield. The wheat after greengram produced more grain (4.78 tons/ha) and straw (6.41 tons/ha) compared to other treatments. Among the fertilizer treatments, the 100% RDF resulted in the highest yields of both grain (4.60 tons/ha) and straw (6.20 tons/ha). Nutrient uptake by the wheat was also higher when grown after greengram and fertilized with 100% RDF. The greengram-wheat rotation, along with either 100% RDF or 75% RDF combined with Azotobacter + PSB, provided the best net profits and B:C ratio.