Quality and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum) as influenced by irrigation scheduling and organic manures

A field experiment was conducted on loamy sand soil during 2 winter (rabi) seasons of 2014–15 and 2015–16 at Jobner, Rajasthan, to study the effect of irrigation scheduling and organic manures on growth, yield and quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The treatments consisted of 5 irrigation scheduling, i.e. I₁ (irrigation at critical stages), I₂ (0.9 Irrigation water (IW): Cumulative pan evaporation (CPE) ratio), I₃ (0.6 IW: CPE ratio at vegetative phase + 0.8 IW: CPE ratio at reproductive phase), I₄ (0.6 IW: CPE ratio at vegetative phase + 1.0 IW: CPE ratio at reproductive phase) and I₅ (0.8 IW: CPE ratio at vegetative phase + 1.0 IW: CPE ratio at reproductive phase in main plots) and 4 organic manures, viz. control (M₀), FYM @ 15 t/ha (M₁), vermicompost (VC) @ 6 t/ha (M₂) and FYM @ 7.5 t/ha + VC @ 3 t/ha (M₃) in subplots were replicated 4 times in split-plot design. The pooled data results showed that irrigation applied at 0.9 IW: CPE ratio (I₂) recorded the maximum values of number of grains/ear and yield (grain and straw) proved significantly superior to I₁, I₄ and I₃ except treatment I₅. The treatment I₂ exhibited the maximum consumptive use (395 mm). But the treatment I₅ attained significantly highest water-use efficiency (WUE) and excelled rest of the treatments. Irrigation applied at 0.9 IW: CPE ratio (I₂) resulted in the maximum chlorophyll content and was significantly superior to I₃, I₄ and I₅ except treatment I₁. However, that irrigation treatment did not to bring any significant variation in protein content and protein yield. Significantly higher number of grains/ear and yield (grain and straw) was recorded with FYM at 7.5 t/ha + VC @ 3 t/ha (M₃), being at par with VC @ 6 t/ha and superior to rest of the treatments. The highest consumptive use (409 mm) by crop was shown by the treatment M₀. The significantly highest WUE was recorded under M₃. The maximum chlorophyll and protein content were recorded under the treatment M₃ (FYM @ 7.5 t/ha + vermicompost @ 3 t/ha), which remained at par with M₂, but significantly higher than M₀ and M₁. However, treatment M₃ resulted in the significantly highest protein yield over rest of the treatments. Scheduling of irrigation to wheat either at 0.9 IW: CPE ratio throughout the growth or 0.8 IW: CPE ratio at vegetative phase + 1.0 IW: CPE ratio at reproductive phase brought about significantly higher yield (grain and straw) and quality parameter (chlorophyll content). So far as saving of irrigation water is concerned, irrigating the crop with 0.8 IW: CPE ratio at vegetative phase + 1.0 IW: CPE ratio at reproductive phase was most effective as the above schedule besides resulting almost equal yields also curtailed 1 irrigation with highest water-use efficiency. Manuring the crop either at 7.5 t FYM + 3 t/ha VC or 6 t/ha VC were equally effective treatments with regard to yield (grain and straw) and quality parameters (chlorophyll content, protein content and protein yield).