Effect of different irrigation levels and moisture conservation techniques on relative water content (RWC), water use efficiency and productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum)

A field experiment entitled “Effect of Different Moisture Irrigation levels and Moisture Conservation Techniques on Relative Water Content (RWC), Water Use Efficiency and Productivity of Wheat (Triticum aestivum)” was carried out at the Crop Research Centre of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture & Technology, Meerut, U.P. during Rabi season of 2018-19. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design considering the irrigation levels as main plot and moisture conservation techniques as sub plot treatments with three replications. The irrigation levels consisted of I1– (5 irrigations at CRI, tillering, booting, milking and dough stage), I2– (3 irrigation at CRI, tillering and booting stage), I3– (2 irrigation at CRI and booting stage) and moisture conservation techniques consisted M1 – Control (no moisture conservation techniques), M2 - Rice residues @ 5 ton ha-1), M3 - application of Pusa hydrogel (3kg /Acre), M4- seed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens (PF6) @ 4 g kg-1 seed, M5- Seed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens (PF2) @ 4 g kg-1 seed and M6- Seed treatment with (IRRI-1) @ 4 g kg-1 seed. The soil of the experimental site was sandy loam in texture, low in available nitrogen and organic carbon, medium in available phosphorus, potassium, zinc and alkaline in reaction. Wheat variety HD-2967 was grown as a test crop. Result reveal that relative water content increased with I1 (5 irrigation) and I2 (3 irrigation). The improvement in grain yield 8.74 and 17.38% over I2 and I3 respectively was due to maximum supply of water under I1 (5 irrigation). Water use efficiency was higher under I3 (2 irrigation) compare to various irrigation level during the study a decreased in the frequency of irrigation from I1 (5 irrigations) to I2 (3 irrigation). Among the moisture conservation techniques, relative water content, water use efficiency, straw and grain yield of wheat was recorded with the application of rice residue incorporate @ 5-ton ha-1. Similarly yield attributes.