EFFECTS OP MOISOTE STRESS AT DIFFERENT GROWTH STAGES ON THE PERFORMANCE AND YIELD OP WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L. em T h e l l .)
EFFECTS OP MOISOTE STRESS AT DIFFERENT GROWTH STAGES ON THE PERFORMANCE AND YIELD OP WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L. em T h e l l .)
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1982-04
Authors
DATIRI, BENJAMIN CHUMANG
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
In order to study the effects of moisture stress at different
growth stages of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em Thell), an experiment
was conducted under field conditions during the 1980-81 dry,
cool harmattan season at Irrigation Research Station, Kadawa,
Nigeria. Two levels of moisture stress were imposed by omitting
one and two irrigations at tillering, jointing, flowering and
grain filling stages of wheat. These were then compared with a
no-stress control treatment, which received a regular irrigation
at 10-days interval.
Soil moisture profile studies revealed that the control
treatment experienced no stress as its soil moisture tensions did
not exceed 0.25 bars. The other treatments experienced different
magnitudes of stress depending on how their soil moisture tensions
exceeded 0.5 bars. From the soil suction and water content relationships
(figure 2), it appeared that at about 0.5 bars most of
the available water in the experimental plot had been lost. The
ground water table during the growing season fluctuated between
80 and 100 cm from the soil surface.
Both levels of soil moisture stress slightly decreased the
plant water potential. However, the water stress in plant was
mild even in treatments with minus two irrigations at the various
growth stages
Plant growth, yield components and yield were generally
decreased; whereas plant canopy temperatures, grain protein
content and roots shoot ratio were increased by stress conditions.
Thus the four selected growth, stages were sensitive to both levels
of moisture stress. However, the most sensitive (critical) growth
Stages under Kadawa conditions (with high water table) were
jointing and flowering for treatments with minus two and one
irrigations, respectively. These caused 36.2 and 18.6% reductions
in grain yield. Generally, omitting two irrigations at all growth
stages and one at flowering and grain filling were deleterious to
wheat and should be avoided. In fact these caused significant
reductions (between 16.3 and 36.2%) in grain yield. However,
omitting one irrigation during tillering and jointing could be
tolerated since this reduced grain yield by only 12.9 and 10.7%,
respectively.
Finally, it appeared that the 10-days irrigation interval
(as in the control treatment) could be conveniently used at
Kadawa and environs with similar conditions as the yield was
good.
Description
A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for
the Degree of
Master of Science
in
Soil Science.
APRIL, 1982.
Keywords
MOISOTE STRESS,, DIFFERENT GROWTH STAGES,, PERFORMANCE,, YIELD OP WHEAT,