Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization Rates on Wheat Grown under Drip  Irrigation System

doi:10.21608/ajas.2016.908

Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization Rates on Wheat Grown under Drip Irrigation System

Document Type : Original Article

10.21608/ajas.2016.908

Abstract

Application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer is one of the most important actions that increases grain yield and improves grain quality in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production. Presently, there are a large number of investigations in the field on different nitrogen fertilizer application regimes. However, there is little information available about the optimum level of N for drip irrigated wheat. Filed experiments in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) conducted to study the response of drip irrigated wheat to three levels of N (120, 180, and 240 kg N ha⁻¹). The field experiments were carried out at the Agricultural Experimental Station farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Egypt during the two successive growth seasons of 2013/14 and 2014/2015. The application of N significantly (P<0.05) enhanced the growth of drip irrigated wheat. The highest rate of nitrogen increased the uptake of N, P, and K by 61, 75, and 57% compared to the lowest treatment. Increasing rate of nitrogen to 240 kg N per hectare increased the Water Use Efficiency (WUE) by 34 and 22% in the first and second season, respectively, compared to N₁₂₀ treatment. The number of spike per m², number of grains per spike, and grain weight per spike of wheat were affected significantly (P<0.05) by N treatments. The application of N₂₄₀ increased the wheat grain yield by 34 and 22% in the first and second season, respectively, compared to N₁₂₀. Based on the obtained results, it is recommended to fertilize drip irrigated wheat by 240 kg N per hectare.

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