Effect of irrigation scheduling and organic manures on yield and economics of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the winter (rabi) seasons of 201415 and 201516 at Jobner, Rajasthan to study the effect of irrigation scheduling and organic manures on growth, yield and quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under loamy sand soil. The treatments consisted of 5 irrigation scheduling, i.e. I , (irrigation 1 at critical stages); I , [0.9 irrigation water: cumulative pan evaporation (IW : CPE ratio); I , 0.6 IW : CPE ratio at veg- 2 3 etative phase + 0.8 IW : CPE ratio at reproductive phase; I , 0.6 IW : CPE ratio at vegetative phase + 1.0 IW : CPE 4 ratio at reproductive phase; and I , 0.8 IW : CPE ratio at vegetative phase + 1.0 IW : CPE ratio at reproductive 5 phase in main plots and 4 organic manures, viz. control (M ), FYM @ 15 t/ha (M ), VC @ 6 t/ha (M ) and FYM @ 0 1 2 7.5 t + VC @ 3 t/ha (M ) in subplots. The experiment was conducted in splitplot design with 4 replications. The 3 pooled results showed that irrigation applied at 0.9 IW : CPE ratio (I ) resulted in the maximum yield (grain, straw, 2 biological and harvest index) and net returns, being superior to I , I and I treatments except treatment I . The 1 4 3 5 treatment I exhibited the maximum value of consumptive use (395 mm). However, the treatment I revealed signifi- 2 5 cantly highest water-use efficiency WUE of 11.34 kg/ha-mm and excelled over rest of the treatments. Application of FYM at 7.5 t/ha + vermicompost at 3 t/ha (M ) resulted in significantly higher yield (grain, straw, biological and 3 harvest index) which was at par with M and superior to rest of the treatments. The highest consumptive use (409 2 mm) by the crop was recorded under the treatment M . Significantly highest WUE was recorded under M (12.40 0 3 kg/ha-mm). The maximum net returns (`55,276) was recorded under the treatment M3 (FYM @ 7.5 t/ha + vermicompost @ 3 t/ha) which remained at par with M but significantly higher to M and M treatment. Thus, 1 0 2 scheduling of irrigation to wheat either at 0.9 IW : CPE throughout the growth or 0.8 IW : CPE at vegetative phase + 1.0 IW : CPE at reproductive phase resulted significantly higher yields (grain, straw, biological and harvest index) and net returns. Irrigating the crop at an IW : CPE of 0.8 at vegetative phase + IW : CPE of 1.0 at reproductive phase was most effective as the above schedule besides producing almost equal yields also curtailed 1 irrigation with highest WUE. Manuring the crop either with 7.5 t FYM + 3 t/ha VC or 6 t/ha VC were the equally effective and net returns.