Effect of irrigation methods and tillage system, seed level on water use efficiency and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth

Abstract

Afield trial was conducted at Al- Hashimya area, Babylon district, Iraq during the growing seasons 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 to investigate the effect of some agronomic practices viz. irrigation system ( sprinkler irrigation (I1) and surface irrigation (I2) which occupied the main plots; tillage system (Zero tillage (T0), minimum tillage (T1) and deep tillage (T2) which occupied the subplot ); and seeding rates (120 Kg ha-1( S1), 180 Kg ha-1(S2),240 Kg ha-1 (S3)and 300 Kg ha-1 (S4) which occupied the sub _ subplots on biological yield, harvest index, water _use efficiency, water consumptive use, crop coefficient of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Results indicated that biological yield was increased in both seasons by 9 and 10%, respectively, following the application of sprinkler irrigation. This may be due to the increased water _use efficiency by 29 and 32% in both seasons, respectively, as influenced by sprinkler irrigation. However, sprinkler irrigation did not affect the harvest index in both seasons. Similarly, minimum tillage increased the biological yield by 10.6,10.2,11.8 and 3.4 % over zero _ tillage and deep tillage in both seasons, respectively. However, the tillage system had no significant effect on the harvest index in both seasons. The seeding rate (240 Kg ha-1) increased the biological yield by 15.1 and 16.0 % over the lowest seeding rate (S1 120 Kg ha-1) with no significant effect on the harvest index in both seasons, respectively. The exciting result that the application of sprinkler irrigation (I1) decreased the consumptive use mm. Season in both seasons and consequently the crop coefficient(Kc) was decreased at tillering, elongation, flowering and maturity stages in both seasons. It can be concluded that the application of sprinkler irrigation under the minimum tillage and using the seeding rate 240 Kg ha-1 has increased the biological yield via increased water – use efficiency and decreased both consumptive use and crop coefficient.