Response of wheat (Triticum Aestivum l.)‎ to supplemental irrigation and nitrogen fertilization under rainfed conditions at El-Quser location, Matrouh, Egypt

الملخص EN

Two trials were conducted in the research station of Matrouh Adaptive Research Center, DRC, El-Quser area, 4 km West of the Marsa Matrouh city, during the 2004/ 2005 and 2005/2006 seasons.

This work aimed to study the effect of supplemental irrigation and nitrogen fertilization on yield and yield attributes of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

In addition to, enhance crop yield potentiality under harsh environmental conditions.

The obtained results could be summarized as follows: Yield and most yield attributes of wheat showed a consistent positive and significant response to water and nitrogen supply.

The increase percentages in most wheat yield components due to increasing nitrogen rates were more than those occurred by increasing the amount of water supply.

In addition, the results indicated that supplemental irrigation (SI) had significant effects on grain, straw and biological yields, harvest index and dry matter of field stubble as well as water use efficiency (WUE) for grain yield in both seasons.

The highest grain yield recorded by SI of 100 mm/ fad+ (420 m3/fad) and 30 kg N/ fad in the two growing seasons.

While, the highest value of WUE was resulted by SI of 50 mm/fad (210 m3/fad) and 30 kg N/fad compared to the lowest values, which produced by check treatment (rainfed) in the two growing seasons.

Data of partial budget analysis indicated that the highest gross return (GR) and net return (NR) were recorded by SI of 100 mm/fad (420 m3) with 30 kg N/fad.

Whereas, the highest average rate of return (ARR) recorded here was 2.75 when SI added in amount of 50 mm/fad (210 m3) with 30 kg N/fad.

Accordingly, the results cleared the importance of supplemental irrigation with adequate amount at the sensitive stages of wheat growth.

In this case, wheat plants could be indicating their response to nitrogen fertilization in the case of supplemental irrigation to enhance yield potentiality under the adverse environmental conditions of rainfed areas.