Optimizing the Irrigation Water in Response to Growth and Yield of Wheat under Rainout Shelter Conditions
Optimizing the Irrigation Water in Response to Growth and Yield of Wheat under Rainout Shelter Conditions
Shahid Hameed Khan Khalil1*, Abdus Subhan3, Ghani Akbar1, Muhammad Asif1, Zafar Islam1, Adnan Shakeel1 and Fawad Anwar2
ABSTRACT
The response of wheat to different irrigation regimes was studied in pot culture under rain shelter conditions at Arid Zone Research Center (AZRC), Dera Ismail Khan during 2014–15 and 2015–16. Irrigation was applied at different rates including control (only at sowing), 25, 50 and 75% of field capacity and conventional irrigation (300mm seasonal requirement) was used. In conventional irrigation methods, irrigation was used to maintain field capacity using 33kPa tension-meter reading during tillering, stem elongation, tillering and grain formation stages. It is clear from the experiment results that parameter of wheat growth including plant height, days to harvest, and number of tillers per plant and grain weight per ear were significantly changed by the application of different amounts of water (treatment) during the two years of the experiment. Conventional irrigation showed significantly higher values of growth parameters, but was comparable to the irrigation regime applied to 50 and 75% of the field capacity. Similarly, the use of different amounts of water significantly affected the yield and yield components of wheat. The thousand grain weight was recorded higher in pots receiving 25% irrigation water. Grain yield was found to be higher with the conventional irrigation method, which was statistically at par with the treatment that used 75% of field capacity irrigation water. The harvest index was recorded higher in the treatment that was irrigated at 50% field capacity. Conclusively, 50% of field capacity irrigation with water was an effective treatment and can be recommended for irrigated and water-scarce areas. Water scarce areas which receive less than 150mm annual rainfall.
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