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Abstract

Declining wheat productivity in semi-arid regions poses a major challenge to food security, mainly due to water scarcity and nutrient depletion. To address these constraints, a two-year field experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Farm Area, Institute of Agronomy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, to evaluate the combined effects of hydrogel levels (0, 5, 10, and 15 kg ha-1) and nutrient sources (Control, NPK, FYM, and NPK + FYM) on growth, yield, biochemical traits, and nutrient use efficiency of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The experiment followed a randomized complete block design with factorial arrangement and three replications. Results revealed that hydrogel application improved soil moisture retention, nutrient uptake, and crop performance. The treatment combining 15 kg ha-1 hydrogel with NPK + FYM produced the highest plant height (123.75 cm; 59.50%), fertile tillers (518.00 m-2; 93.11%), and thousand-grain weight (54.33 g; 68.68%), resulting in maximum grain yield (6.45 t ha-1; 15.18%) and biological yield (11.33 t ha-1; 15.57%). Growth indicators such as crop growth rate (29.28 g m-2 day-1; 27.32%), net assimilation rate (9.48 g m-2 day-1; 19.69%), leaf area index (4.09; 17.18%), and specific leaf area duration (38.11 cm² g-1 day-1; 6.03%) also increased significantly. Biochemical attributes including SOD (42.68%), POD (62.00%), CAT (119.61%), TSP (48.8%), TPC (75.5%), LCC (78.2%), and AsA (52.3%) were enhanced under the same treatment. Water use efficiency increased by 63.1%, while fertilizer use efficiencies improved nitrogen by 38.7%, phosphorus by 12.5%, and potassium by 11.0% with higher hydrogel levels and nutrient combinations. Integrating 15 kg ha-1 hydrogel with NPK + FYM proved a sustainable strategy to enhance wheat productivity, biochemical resilience, and resource use efficiency under semi-arid conditions.

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