Effect of irrigation scheduling on the growth and yield of wheat genotypes

Abstract

An investigation was carried out on the effect of irrigation schedules and genotypes on the growth and yield components of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad (Karnataka) in the year 2001-02. The design of the experiment was split plot with three replications. Irrigation schedules(I7) at crown root initiation + tillering + jointing + flowering + milky + dough stages recorded maximum effective tillers at harvest (94.66), total dry matter production (217.58 g m-1 row length), leaf area (49.31 dm2 m-1 row length), leaf area index (2.18), the mean ear length (6.89 cm), number of grains per ear (34.58), 1000 grain weight (39.83 g). Due to increased growth parameters, I7 irrigation schedule resulted in maximum grain yield (2669 kg ha-1) over I1 (1626 kg ha-1), I4 (2128 kg ha-1), I2 (2150 kg ha-1) and I3 (2240 kg ha-1) but was on par with I5 (2463 kg ha-1) and I6 (2580 kg ha-1). Significantly higher (2128 kg ha-1) grain yield was observed in I4 irrigation schedule over I1 (1626 kg ha-1) but was on par with I2 (2150 kg ha-1) and I3 (2240 kg ha-1) irrigation schedule. Significantly lowest (1626 kg ha-1) grain yield was recorded in irrigation schedule at crown root initiation and tillering stage. Among the wheat genotypes, DWR-1006 (durum wheat) recorded higher effective tillers at harvest (84.28), total dry matter production (206.06 g m-1 row length), leaf area (46.45 dm2 m-1 row length), leaf area index (2.06), number of grains per ear (33.46), 1000 grain weight (40.83 g), harvest index (0.379) and grain yield (2390 kg ha-1). The grain yield was affected due to wheat genotypes. Significantly higher (2390 kg ha-1) grain yield was recorded in wheat genotype DWR-1006 over DWR-162 (2140 kg ha-1).