Performance of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in response to supplemental irrigation and rate of nitrogen application in Enderta, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
Keywords:
Deficit irrigation, economic analysis, N application, water productivity yield, yield componentAbstract
Moisture stress and nitrogen deficiency are the most important factors which limit wheat production in the semi-arid Tigray region of Ethiopia. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted in Enderta district in the region during the 2013 and 2014 cropping seasons to elucidate the response of bread wheat to supplemental irrigation (SI) and rates of nitrogen application. The experiment was laid out as a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a split-plot arrangement with three replications. Four levels of supplementary irrigation (SI), viz: 0, 50, 75, and 100% (full) of the crop water requirement were assigned to the main plots whilst, nitrogen levels of 0, 23, 46, 69 and 92 kg N ha-1 were assigned to the sub-plots. Application of 92 kg N ha−1 with 75% SI increased tiller production by 94% as compared to the rain-fed treatment. Similarly, plants that received 100% SI with the application of 69 kg N ha-1 had their heights significantly increased by about 39%, spike length by 56%, kernel per spike by 51%, TKW by 47% and aboveground biomass yield by 340% as compared to no irrigation and no nitrogen application. Maximum grain yield of 4504kg ha-1 and water productivity of 7.99 kg mm-1 ha-1 was recorded in response to the application of 100% SI combined with 92 kg N ha-1, However, the lowest grain yield of 885 kg ha-1 and water productivity of 2.15 kg mm-1 ha-1 were recorded in response to the rain-fed production with no application of nitrogen fertilizer.. Based on economic analysis, the acceptable marginal rate of return of 255% and the highest net benefit (47004 ETB ha-1) was obtained from the application of 92 kg N ha-1 with 100% supplemental irrigation. It can be concluded that the integration of 92 kg N ha−1 with 100% supplementary irrigation resulted in optimum grain yield and economic return of the crop.
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