Relative efficiency of different irrigation schedules for conventional, ridge and raised bed seeding of wheat (Triticum aestivum) Idnani L.K.*, Principal Scientist, Kumar Ashok, technical Officer Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110 012 *Corresponsing author Email: lkidnani@yahoo.com
Online published on 6 July, 2012. Abstract A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2007–08 and 2008–09 at IARI to assess the effects of irrigation schedules and methods of sowing on the growth, yield attributes, productivity, water use and economics of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori & Paol) on sandy loam soil of IARI field, in Delhi. The treatments comprised five irrigation schedules [I, - Irrigation at Crown Root Initiation (CRI), l2 - CRI + 200 mm Cumulative Pan Evaporation (CPE), l3 - CRI + 150 mm CPE, l4 - CRI + 100 mm CPE, and l5 - CRI + 50 mm CPE] allotted in horizontal strips and three sowing methods (M, - Conventional, M2 - Furrow Irrigated Raised Bed System (FIRBS) and M3 - Side sowing on ridges) allotted in vertical strips replicated thrice in a strip plot design. The results revealed that among sowing methods, FIRBS planting and among irrigation schedules, irrigation at CRI stage + 100 mm CPE registered significantly the highest plant height, leaf area index, dry matter accumulation at 90 days after sowing number of effective tillers/metre, ear length, spikelets/spike, grains/spike, grain weight/spike, 1,000-grain weight, grain yield, straw yield, harvest index, net return and benefit: cost ratio and the highest water use efficiency. Top Keywords Economics, Irrigation schedules, Planting methods, Water use, Wheat. Top |