Yield, water and radiation use efficiency of wheat as influenced by irrigation levels in a semi-arid environment

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted during the rabi 2009-10 and 2010-11 on a sandy loam soil of New Delhi to study the effect of irrigation levels on yield, water and radiation use efficiency of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars. The treatments comprised of two wheat cultivars (PBW 502 and DBW 17) and three irrigation levels (I1: irrigation at CRI, I2: irrigations at CRI and flowering and I4: irrigations at CRI, tillering, flowering and grain formation stage) laid out in factorial randomized block design (RBD). The results showed that the cultivar DBW 17 (3320 kg/ha) registered significantly higher yield compared to PBW 502 (2980 kg/ha). The grain yield with I4 treatment (4004 kg/ha) was significantly higher than that of I2 (3330 kg/ha), which in turn significantly out yielded I1 treatment (2116 kg/ha). The water and radiation use efficiency (WUE) were significantly lower in I1 treatment (8.39 kg/ha/mm, 1.79 g/MJ) compared to the I2 treatment (10.61 kg/ha/mm, 1.99 g/MJ). I2 and I4 treatments were at par with respect to WUE. Among the irrigation treatments, the highest RUE was obtained with I4 (2.23 g/MJ).