Wheat Yield Response to Irrigation Water Amounts Based on Evapotranspiration and Nitrogen Fertilization Levels

doi:10.21608/ejss.2014.128

Wheat Yield Response to Irrigation Water Amounts Based on Evapotranspiration and Nitrogen Fertilization Levels

Document Type : Original Article

10.21608/ejss.2014.128

Abstract

WATER supply and fertilization are major constraint to crop ……production. Wheat as an important crop a great effort has been made to achieve suitable agronomic practices in order to increase its production. A field experiment was conducted in sandy soil to determine the response of wheat yield to different irrigation water amounts based on reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) and to nitrogen fertilization levels. The irrigation water regimes were 75, 85, 100, and 120% of ET₀. The nitrogen levels were 0, 60, 90, 120 kg N/fed. Results showed that maximum plant height, 1000 grain weight, the number of grains per spike, straw yield and grain yield were achieved with 85% of ET₀. Increasing nitrogen level increased the studied yield parameters and the grain yield under all irrigation treatments. The combination treatment 85% of ET and 120 kg N/fed., recorded the highest plant height, number of grains per spike and both grain and straw yields. Seasonal water consumptive use (WCU) increased with the increase of irrigation water amount. Average values of (WCU) ranged between 565.2 mm and 346.0 mm. The maximum value of water use efficiency (WUE) was obtained under irrigation by 85% of ET₀ and fertilized with 120 kg N/fed. Irrigation water economy (IWE) was also increased with 85% ET₀ and with the increase in nitrogen level. Although increasing nitrogen level increased (WUE) and (IWE), it decreased nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). The results concluded that irrigation with 85% of ET₀ is appropriate for wheat yield and could be an alternative means of water saving when optimizing with nitrogen fertilizer doses in the studied region.

Keywords