Magnetic Seeds, Two Potassium Sources and Four Irrigation Levels Effects on Wheat Grown in Sandy Soils

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

2 Soil, Water and Environment Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt

Abstract

A

T Ali Mubarak Station, El-Bustan region, El-Behira Governorate, Egypt, field trial investigated to evaluate the impact of four irrigation levels i.e. 60, 80, 100, and 120% ETo (from reference crop evapotranspiration) and alleviating water stress treatments on wheat growth and grain yield cultivated in sandy soil. Alleviating water stress treatments were 1. None magnetic wheat grains (NMG), 2. NMG + potassium silicate(KS) foliar spray, 150mg L-1. 3. NMG + potassium humate (KH) foliar spray, 1000 mg kg-1. 4. Magnetic wheat grains (MG), 5. MG + KS and 6. MG + KH. There were significant (P<0.05) effects of the experimental treatments on growth, grain yield and its attributes. Increasing water availability had a positive effect on improving growth of wheat plants and reflected on wheat grain yield and its attributes of wheat. Sowing with magnetic grains (MG) field treatment produced higher values of wheat grain yield and its attributes compared with non-MG treatments. The foliar application of potassium humate or potassium silicate had a significant (P<0.05) positive effect on wheat grain yield as well as grain yield attributes compared to the control treatment. However, no significant differences in grain yield/ha between 120% ETo +MG + KH or KS treatments and 100% ETo + MG + KH or KS treatments in both research seasons. The treatments had 120% ETo + MG + KH or KS gave the greatest wheat grain yields (6.83 and 6.73 t/ha, respectively) and water productivity (1.4 and 1.25 kg grains/m3, respectively). It could be concluded that irrigation level with 100% ETo + MG + KH or KS can save about 900 m3/ha of applied irrigation water (about 20% of AIW) without having a major impact on wheat grain yield.

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