Comparison of Fertigation and Soil Application of Nutrients in WheatCrop

The objective of this research was to compare the effects of fertigationand soil application methods of nitrogen, iron, manganese, and zinc on wheat production and its growth parameters.The study was conducted in a stripe statistical design by use of 5 pipelines as triple line-source sprinkle irrigation. Treatments were: T₁ = fertigationin 3 meters distance from fertilizer injection line, T₂ = fertigationin 6 meters distance from injection line, T₃ = fertigationin 9 meters distance from injection line, T₄= soil application in 3 meters distance from irrigation line, T₅= soil application in 6 meters distance from irrigation line,and T₆were nutrients soil application in 9 meters fromirrigation line.In fertigation method, nitrogen source was ammonium nitrate whileiron, manganese and zinc were chelated sources injected into the middle pipeline by use of a Venturi system.In soil application method, 425, 110, 100 and 20 kg.ha^-1of Urea, Triple Super Phosphate, Potassiun Sulfate and Zinc Sulfate, respectively, were applied to the soil and were watered with a sprinkler system. Fertilizers used were based on the soil test.The results showed that by increasing ammonium nitrateconcentrations, total yield, grain yield, and 1000 grain weight increased. The highest yield (7623 kg ha^-1), the highest 1000-grain weight (36.3 g) and the highest grain protein content (15.4%) were obtained from the first fertigation treatment i.e.fertigationin 3 meters distance from injection pipelineand application of 170 kgammonium nitrate ha^-1.The results showed that the rate of nitrate applied in fertigation systemwashighly correlated with1000-grain weight, grain yield, and total yield.The results also indicated that zinc and manganese foliar fertilization were more effective than soil application. More detailed studies about the economic aspects seem to be necessary.