Water use efficiency of sunflower genotypes under drip irrigation

Abstract

This investigation was conducted to determine the productivity and water use efficiency (WUE) for new sunflower genotypes obtained from selfing and induced mutation. Ten sunflower genotypes were evaluated under drip irrigation using two treatments of irrigation (100 and 75% from water requirement of sunflower). Statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences among genotypes, as well as between irrigation treatments and the interaction between them. Results indicate that decreasing the amount of irrigation water from 1500 to 1130 (mm/ha) significantly reduced all studied traits. Mutation (M 2,1-63) surpassed all the other genotypes in seed yield and WUE. Lines which gave the highest yield of the seed have WUE under drought conditions higher than WUE under normal irrigation. The lowest depression in seed yield due to drought conditions compared to the seed yield under normal irrigation has been registered for Line 20, Line M 2,1-63, and Sakha 53 genotypes (11, 18, and 16%, respectively), but the highest depression recorded for Line 48, Line M 2,3-63, and Line M 2,4-63 (49, 46, and 43%, respectively). The genotypes (Line 20, Line M 2,1-63 and Sakha 53) are more tolerant to drought than others and we can used its in breeding program to develop sunflower hybrids suitable for cultivation under drought condition.