Influence of sowing dates and irrigation schedules on growth and yield of drip irrigated wheat (Triticum aestivum) under semi-arid conditions of Punjab

Abstract

A study was conducted during the winter (rabi) seasons of 201416 at Ludhiana, Punjab, to evaluate the influ- ence of sowing time and drip-irrigation schedules on growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The experi- ment was conducted in a split-plot design consisting of 4 sowing dates (D , 25 October; D , 10 November, D , 25 1 2 3 November and D , 10 December) in main plots and 5 irrigation treatments in subplots, replicated thrice. Four irri- 4 gation treatments based on soil water deficit from field capacity, were: 15% depletion (FC ); 25% depletion (FC ); 15 25 35% depletion (FC ); and 45% depletion (FC ) from field capacity (FC) and the fifth irrigation treatment was taken 35 45 as conventional practice (CP). The results revealed that plant height, dry-matter accumulation, leaf-area index and number of tillers decreased significantly with delay in sowing from D to D at all stages of plant growth. The grain 1 4 and biological yields were significantly higher in D than the other sowing dates. The pooled grain and biological 1 yields decreased by 9 and 8% from D to D , 18 and 17% from D to D and 29 and 27% from D to D respectively. 1 2 1 3 1 4 Significantly higher values of growth attributes and yield were recorded with application of irrigation at FC than 15 the other irrigation schedules. The pooled grain yield in FC treatment was higher by 9, 25, 42 and 10% than FC , 15 25 FC , FC and CP respectively. Thus, irrigating the crop at FC using drip irrigation saved 50% irrigation water as 35 45 15 compared to the conventional practice of irrigating the crop at 45 week interval with 75 mm of water.