Water used studies in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) with limited irrigation and moisture conservation practices

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Agronomy Farm, College of Agriculture, Nagpur during rabi season of 2019-20. The experiment was laid out in Factorial Randomized Block Design with 12 treatment combinations, replicated thrice. The treatments consisted of three irrigation levels [Only one irrigation at late jointing stage (I1), Two irrigations at crown root initiation (CRI) and flowering stages (I2) and Three irrigations at CRI, late jointing and flowering stages (I3)] combined with four moisture conservation practices [Control (M0), Mulching with wheat straw (M1), Mulching with weed biomass (M2) and Antitranspirant spray {Kaolin @ 5%} (M3)] adopted at 30 DAS. Growth and yield parameters along with grain and straw yield of wheat were significantly higher with application of three irrigations compared to its lower levels as well as with application of wheat straw mulch at 30 DAS over rest of the moisture conservation practices. Application of three irrigations recorded significantly highest consumptive use of water and lowest water use efficiency. Similarly, application of wheat straw mulch at 30 DAS recorded significantly lowest consumptive use and highest water use efficiency.