GROWTH, YIELD AND WATER-USE EFFICIENCY OF WHEAT (TRITICUM-AESTIVUM) AS INFLUENCED BY IRRIGATION AND NITROGEN IN SODIC SOILS

A field experiment was conducted during the winter seasons (December to April) of 1990-91 and 1991-92 on reclaimed sodic soils to study the effect of irrigation and nitrogen on growth, yield and water-use efficiency of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fiori and Paol.). ?he irrigated treatments were superior to the unirrigated one in respect of growth (crop-growth rate and leaf-area duration), yield attributes, yield, harvest index and water-use efficiency. Frequent irrigations at 1.2 IW : CPE ratio (4) gave significantly higher spike length, 1,000-grain weight and grain yield. However, the water-use efficiency was maximum at 0.6 IW : CPE ratio. N @ 180 kg N/ha resulted in higher growth (crop-growth rate and leaf-area duration), yield attributes and gain yield. The optimum economic dose of N was 156 kg/ha with an expected grain yield of 2,933 kg/ha. Increasing N levels positively influenced the water-use efficiency, maximum being 9.21 kg/ha/mm at 180 kg N/ha.