Evaluation of the Different Levels of Phosphorus Fertilizer on Yield and Yield Components of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) under the Environmental Conditions of Baghlan Province

Abstract

Evaluation of the different levels of phosphorus fertilizer on yield and yield components of barley (Hordeum Vulgare l.). The experiment was conducted at the Puza-i-Ishan Research Farm in Baghlan Province during the 2025 growing season. The study was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) over a total area of 324 m². The treatments consisted of four phosphorus levels: a control (0 kg/ha) and three application rates (40, 80, and 120 kg/ha). Statistical analysis revealed that increasing phosphorus levels had a positive and significant effect on the growth and yield attributes of barley. Although higher doses led to numerical increases in several parameters, these improvements were not statistically significant in all cases. Phosphorus application significantly enhanced the number of spikelets per spike, the number of tillers, the number of spikes, plant height, spike length, grain weight, biological yield, and harvest index (HI). The highest values for most studied traits, including spikelets per spike, plant height, spikes per unit area, grain weight, and biological yield, were recorded at the 120 kg P/ha level. For certain traits, such as 1000-grain weight and tiller number, intermediate levels did not differ significantly from the highest dose. Overall, the results highlight the critical role of phosphorus in improving both vegetative and reproductive growth of barley. Therefore, the application of 120 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹ is recommended to achieve maximum agronomic response under the environmental conditions of Baghlan Province.