Effect of sowing time, planting methods and irrigation scheduling on yield response, water and radiation-use efficiencies of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in North India

A field experiment was conducted during the winter season (rabi) of 2015-16 and 2016-17 at J. V. College, Baraut (Baghpat), U.P., to evaluate the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) interception, yield response, water and radiation use efficiencies of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in response to sowing time, planting methods and irrigation treatments, Wheat variety 'WH1105' was sown on two dates (10 and 20 November) under two planting method and three irrigation treatments (1, 3 post sowing irrigation at CRI stages, flag-leaf emergence and soft dough stages I2, I1 + 4th irrigation during the mid week of March, and I3 recommended 4 post sowing irrigation) with 4 replication. Crop sown on 10 November under bed planting I2 irrigation treatment had the maximum dry matter accumulation, leaf area index, number of effective tillers, ear length, grain/ear and 1,000 grain weight as composed to the other treatments, The PAR interception was also higher in 10 November sowing under bed planting with I2 irrigation treatment, which had direct effect on radiation-use efficiency (RUE) of the crop. Water use efficiency (WUE) was higher (12.5 and 11.4 kg/ha/mm) under I, treatment followed by I3 treatment (12.3 and 10.6 kg/ha/mm) and the lowest in I2 treatment (10.5 and 9.3 kg/ha/mm). The grain yield WUE and RUE were higher by 5-10, 10-15 and 1-5 % respectively under bed planting during both seasons. Significant and positive correlation (r) of grain yield with yield-attributing character viz. no. of effective tillers (0.71), grains (0.76) ear length (0.74), 1000 grain weight (0.65) water (0.76) and RUE (0.69) were observed with pooled analysis.