Response of Advanced Wheat Lines to Integrated Nutrient Management for Yield, Grain Quality and Soil Health in Semi-Arid Balochistan

Wheat productivity in the semi-arid highlands of Balochistan, Pakistan, is constrained by low soil fertility and poor nutrient-use efficiency. A field experiment was conducted during the 2023–24 Rabi season at Quetta to evaluate the response of two advanced wheat lines (BARDC-1 and BARDC-2) to seven integrated nutrient management practices arranged in a split-plot design with five replications. Treatments included an unfertilized control, 100% recommended NP (120-60 kg N-P₂O₅ ha⁻¹), farmyard manure (FYM) @ 10 t ha⁻¹, Biozote @ 5 kg ha⁻¹, and their combinations. The integrated treatment comprising Biozote (5 kg ha⁻¹) + FYM (5 t ha⁻¹) + 50% recommended NP (T7) recorded the highest chlorophyll content, NDVI, productive tillers, 1000-grain weight, grain yield (5504 kg ha⁻¹; 112% higher than control), grain protein (14.22%), gluten and ash contents, while substantially improving post-harvest soil organic carbon, available nutrients, and microbial populations. BARDC-2 outperformed BARDC-1 in most traits. Combining Biozote and FYM with half-dose chemical fertilizer proved the most effective and sustainable strategy for enhancing wheat productivity, grain quality, and soil health under semi-arid highland conditions.