The effect of watering rates on spring wheat productivity and grain quality under conditions of artificial climate

Abstract

Purpose. To study the effects of watering rates on spring wheat productivity, earliness, grain quality and to determine water consumption per 1 gram of grain with the plants under conditions of artificial climate. Methods. The experiments were conducted according to recommended practice (1985) on the spring wheat varieties Myronivska rannia and Myronivska yara which were grown in Mitscherlich pots under conditions of artificial climate chamber КV-1R under the lamps FRLF-400 + LN-500. Light exposure was 16 hours. The air temperature was 10–12 °С before tillering and 18–20 °С in the next stages. Daily watering rate was 50, 150, 250 ml/pot during the whole growing season or 50, 250–150 ml/pot depending on the stage of plant development. Results. Different watering rates had significant effects on spring wheat productivity and on growing season duration, as well as on the amount of water used per 1gram of grain. Thus, with low daily watering rate (50 ml/pot) plant productivity of the spring wheat varieties Myronivska rannia and Myronivska yara was comparatively low (7.0 g and 5.4 g of grain per pot), while watering rate of 250 ml ensured maximum possible grain yield per pot (23.0 g and 20.4 g, respectively). With low watering rate, the growing season duration was shorter (66 and 73 days for the varieties), while with the maximum rate (250 ml/pot) it was 79 and 84 days. Decrease in the seeding rate (from 20 to 15 plants per pot) led to an increase in plant productivity (1.71 g of grain per plant vs. 1.02 g), which ultimately affected the total grain yield per pot (25.6 g for 15 plants per pot and 22.4 g for 20 ones). Thus, at watering rate 250 ml, the water consumption per 1 g of grain was 1.02 l (20 plants in pot) and 0.79 l (15 plants). Conclusions. Spring wheat productivity under conditions of artificial climate at watering rate 250 ml/pot significantly exceeded it at rates 50 and 150 ml. As for grain quality, the variety-specific reaction to the conditions of watering plants was decisive. Decrease in watering rates caused decrease in 1000 kernel weight. With different watering rates, water consumption per 1 g of grain ranged from 0.57 l to 1.02 l. The results obtained can be used to calculate water consumption during irrigation and in modern phytocomplexes as well.