Effect of supplemental irrigations, seeding rates and foliar application of potassium and macro-micro elements on wheat productivity under rainfed conditions [electronic resource].

Includes reference.

Two field experiments were carried out in Rafah, North Sinai Governorate in a demonstration field under raihfed conditions during the two growing seasons of 2001/2002 and 2002/2003. Soil texture was sandy, moderate in salinity and relatively high in alkalinity and poor in organic matter and macro-micro elements. This work aimed to study the effect of the following factors on yield and its components of wheat cultivar 'Sakha 93"; a) adding a supplemental irrigation; either at tillering and/or at heading stage, b) seed rates; 50,70 and/or 90 kg/fed., c) foliar application of potassium, macro-micro elements and/or potassium + macro-:-micro elements. Nutrients were applied at 40 and 80 days after sowing with the rate of 1.5 liter/fed from Nervatin-vit formula (10% N, 8% P20S, 7% K20, 0.6% Mg, I.I % Fe, 0.5 Mn, 0.5 Zn, 0.05 B, 0.02% Mo, 0.02% Cu+, 500 mg/IOOO ml amino acids and vitamins). The results indicated that adding a supplemental irrigation (suppl. Irrig.) at tillerring stage only significantly increased plant height and the number of tillers/plant. However the supplemental irrigation at heading stage only gave the highest grain yield (10.4 ard./fed.) and increased its components. Maximum grain yield (10.8 ard./fed.) was obtained with seeding rate of 70 kg/fed., while minimum grain yield (7.26 ard./fed.) was at 50 kg/fed. over the two seasons. The highest values of grain and straw yields/fed. (10.72 ard.lfed. and 3.038 ton/fed. respectively) and yield components were obtained when wheat plants were foliar sprayed with potassium and nervatine. The interaction between supplemental irrigation and seeding rates had significant effect on the number of tillers/plant, flag leaf area, no. of grains / spike, no. of spikes / m and grain and straw yields/fed.. The highest grain yield ( 11.19 ard/fed.) was realized via a supplemental irrigation at heading stage and seeding rate of 70 kg/fed.. By contrast, the lowest value (6.86 ard.lfed.) was obtained under rai.1fed only with 50 kg/fed.. The interaetion between supplemental irrigation and foliar application of potassium and Nervatine significantly increased the number of tillers/plant, spike length, no. of grains/spike, grains weightlspike, no. of spikes/m2, 1000-grain weight and grain yield which showed the highest value (11.33 ard./fed.) when a supplemental irrigation was applied at heading stage and wheat plants were foliared with potassium and Nervatine. The interaction between seeding rates and foliar spraying caused a significant increase in the number of tillers/plant, spike length, no. of grains/spike, grain weight/spike, 1000-grain weight, grain and straw yields/fed. and protein percentage. The highest grain yield (10.92 ard.lfed over the two seasons) was obtained under a seeding rate of 70 kg/fed and foliar application with potassium and Nervatine. The best combination was a supplemental irrigation at heading stage, seeding rate of 70 kg/fed. and foliar spraying of potassium + Nervatine which significantly increased the number of tillers/plant, no. of spikes/m2, 1000-grain weight and grain yield/fed. In addition the highest grain yield over two seasons ( 12.55 ard./feQ) was realized from the same combination. Consequently, the results of this study revealed that under rainfed conditions of north Sinai, a supplemental irrigation at heading stage of wheat cultivar Sakha 93 with seeding rate of 10 kg/fed. combined with the foliar spray of potassium (5.0 kg/fed.) and 1.5 litre/fed. Nervatin-vit are the recommended treatments for raising the productivity of Sakha 93 wheat under the conditions of this investigation.

Summary in Arabic.

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