Impact of Stage-Specific Irrigation on the Growth and Yield of Wheat

Abstract

Stage-specific irrigation is essential for ensuring optimal water use at critical growth stages in wheat (Triticum aestivum), leading to increased yield and improved grain quality. Therefore, determining an appropriate irrigation schedule for wheat is crucial for enhancing productivity. Keeping this view in mind, an experiment was conducted at the farmer’s fields of Dinajpur Sadar Upazila, Dinajpur, Bangladesh from November 2020 to April 2021, aimed to evaluate the impact of irrigation schedules on the growth and yield of wheat (BARI Gom-33). A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with seven treatments and three replications was implemented. Treatments included varying irrigation timings: T0 (no irrigation), T1 (one irrigation at maximum tillering), T2 (one irrigation at booting), T3 (one irrigation at heading), T4 (two irrigations at maximum tillering and heading), T5 (milking dough), and T6(two irrigations at booting and milking dough). Key metrics assessed included plant height, leaf count, tiller number, dry matter, growth stages, grain number, thousand grain weight, and overall yield at different days’ intervals. Results indicated that irrigated treatments (T1-T6) significantly improved the parameters for growth and yield compared to the control (T0). Notably, T4, with two irrigations, yielded the highest grain production at 5.20 t/ha, followed closely by T6. These findings highlight the significance of proper irrigation scheduling for optimizing wheat yield, indicating that applying two irrigations at the maximum tillering and heading stages can significantly enhance agricultural productivity.