Growth and phenology of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as influenced by irrigation scheduling under in situ rice residue management

Abstract

ABSTRACT The impact of irrigation regimes on growth and phenology of wheat was studied under in situ rice residue management (RRM) using split plot design. Treatments were consisted of methods of rice residue management (3): conventional method, in situ RRM using Happy Seeder without Press Wheel (HSw/oPW) and Happy Seeder with press wheel assembly (HSwPW) in main plot and nine irrigation regimes[irrigations at growth stages (3): three irrigations at crown root initiation (CRI), booting and milking (I3CBM); four irrigations at CRI, tillering, flowering and milking (I4CTFM); five irrigations at CRI, tillering, booting, flowering and dough stages (I5CTBFD), and irrigation depths (3): 55 (I55), 65 (I65) and 75 (I75) mm] in subplot. Under in situ RRM, the physiological maturity was delayed resulting in higher accumulation of growing degree days (GDD), helio-thermal units (HTU) and photo-thermal units (PTU) than conventional method. The initial growth under HSw/oPW was slow, however, till harvest it was statistically at par with conventional method. I5CTBFD resulted in the highest days taken to physiological maturity and GDD, HTU and PTU accumulation. Grain yield (pooled) was significantly higher under I5CTBFD than I4CTFM and I3CBM. I75 recorded at par growth parameters and yield with I65.