Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECT OF SOWING METHODS AND IRRIGATION LEVELS ON WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.)

Satybhan Singh, Virendra Singh, Ramesh Pal, Himanshu Trivedi, Ashesh Narayan andMohit Gautam

Abstract

The field experiment was carried out at an agricultural research farm of IFTM University Moradabad (U.P.), India during the rabi season 2018-19 to study the effect of sowing methods and irrigation levels on wheat. Sowing methods and irrigation are major constraints to reducing the potential of wheat yield. The treatments were arranged in split plot design in three replications, sowing methods in main plots, and irrigation levels in sub-plots. The experiment treatments included two sowing methods, i.e. [S1- conventional sowing method and S2 - furrow irrigated raised bed (FIRB) system] in main plots and six irrigation levels [I0- (control), I1-(one irrigation at CRI stage), I2- (two irrigation at CRI and tillering stage), I3- (three irrigations at CRI, tillering and late jointing stage), I4-(four irrigations at CRI, tillering, late jointing and milking stage) and I5 - (five irrigations at CRI, tillering, late jointing, milking, and dough stage). The wheat crop was sown by the traditional method and furrow irrigated raised beds (FIRB) method. Raised beds accommodating 3 rows of wheat at 20 cm wide. Furrows that are in between the beds are used for irrigation. This system permits adequate saving of irrigation water. Results indicated that sowing of wheat on FIRB system surpassed the conventional method of sowing for plant height, number of tillers plant-1, dry weight (g plant-1), number of effective tillers plant-1, spike length, number of grain spike-1, 1000 grain weight, grain yield, straw yield, and biological yield followed by conventional sowing method. On the other hand irrigation levels I5 - (five irrigations at CRI, tillering, late jointing, milking, and doughing stage) recorded the highest values for most of the growth, yield components, and yield of wheat. In the FIRB system beds gave the opportunity for mechanical weeding and fertilizer placement and also improved fertilizer and water use efficiencies. The role of sowing methods and level of irrigation in plant health and growth has been investigated in crop and it seemed significantly affected with treatment.