Author(s): Bhagawan Bharali, Bhupendra Haloi, Jayashree Chutia, Sonbeer Chack and Koilash Hazarika
In a pot culture (2011), aerosols of oxidized nitrogen (NaNO2) @20 kgha-1 yr-1 (≈200 ppm), reduced nitrogen (NH4Cl) @10 kg-1 hayr-1 (≈100 ppm) and distilled water (control) were sprayed (1500 cm3 plant-1 of each solution) weekly at different days after sowing (DAS) to study their impacts on physiology of wheat varieties (Ankur Omkar, Sonalika and K-306). In a field trial (2012), the simulated N-aerosols @ 200 ppm and 400 ppm (1000 cm3 m-2 for each solution) along with a control were sprayed to population of the best variety (Ankur Omkar) at four different growth stages. In both pot and field experiments foliar feeding of aerosols with lower dose at the earlier growth stages influenced nitrogen use efficiency and yield. Fluctuations of cellular cations (Ca2+, K+) or peroxidase activity were caused by the aerosols and altered membrane permeability.
