Influence of deficit irrigation during growth stages on water use efficiency (wue) and production of wheat cultivars under field conditions

ABSTRACT: Deficit irrigation has been widely investigated as a valuable and sustainable production strategy in dry regions. This study was made to determine the influence of deficit irrigation on water use efficiency, yield and harvest index of wheat cultivars under field conditions. The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replications having split plot arrangement in two successive cropping seasons (2008-2009) at Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Zabol, Iran. The main plots included 5 levels of deficit irrigation and subplots included 4 wheat cultivars. Results showed that yield, harvest index, water use efficiency and evaportranspiration efficiency were affected by deficit irrigation. Well-watered treatment (D1) produced the highest grain yield, biological yield and harvest index and irrigation only before planting (D5) produced the highest water use efficiency and evaportranspiration efficiency. Water use efficiency for grain yield varied from 0.715 to 0.797 kg m-3 and biological yield from 1.930 to 2.489 kg m-3 between deficit irrigation treatments. Chamran (C3) cultivar had higher grain yield stability and Hirmand (C2) cultivar was lower than others cultivars.