Evaluation of differnt sowing methods for enhancing productivity and water use efficiency of wheat under limited water condition

Abstract

Drought is a serious threat for food security worldwide. Wheat is most popular staple crop of world severely affected by drought at water sensitive crop growth stages. Selection of appropriate sowing method is very important for improving water use efficiency. A field trial was conducted in winter season of 2018-19 to investigate the impact of different sowing methods on water use efficiency of spring wheat exposed to water deficit at anthesis. Wheat was sown with three different sowing methods viz. broadcast sowing, drill sowing and augmented furrow sowing and two different irrigation regimes i.e. normal irrigation and water deficit at anthesis stage. All agronomic practices were kept uniform throughout the experiment. Different sowing methods and irrigation regimes significantly affected grain and straw yield of wheat. Among different sowing methods, wheat crop sown with augmented furrow method produced maximum plant height (111 cm), no. of tillers per m2 (427),  1000 grain weight (37.93 g), grain yield (4.73 t ha-1) and straw yield (4.24 t ha-1). Maximum irrigation water use efficiency (17.72 kg ha-1 mm-1) and benefit cost ratio (1.34) was recorded in augmented furrow method of sowing of wheat exposed to water deficit at anthesis stage.