USING NO-TILLAGE AND PULSED SPRINKLER IRRIGATION TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE PRODUCTIVITY AND WATER PRODUCTIVITY OF WHEAT UNDER ARID SANDY AREAS

During the winter seasons of 2021–2022 and 2022–2023, two field experiments were carried out at the Agricultural Production and Research Station, National Research Center (NRC), Nubaria Governorate, Egypt, to investigate the effects of zero tillage and pulse sprinkler irrigation on the yield, water productivity, and certain chemical components of wheat grains grown in sandy soil. The biological yield, straw yield, and grain yield obtained under zero tillage exceeded those obtained from plants grown under soil tillage. Straw yield was insignificant in both seasons. Furthermore, the increases in biological yield were greater than those in straw yield, and grain yields were later. Biological, straw, and grain yields obtained under pulse sprinkler irrigation applied four times were higher than those under other treatments, while those applied simultaneously produced lower yields. The improvement in biological yield, straw yield, and grain yield reached 29.11%, 37.93%, and 21.93% in the first season, while in the second season they reached 30.39%, 39.53%, and 27.99%, respectively, compared to the yield added without pulse irrigation. The highest water productivity and grain quality properties of wheat were achieved for both seasons when zero tillage was applied and irrigation water was applied four times daily, while the lowest values were achieved with conventional tillage to a depth of 30 cm and continuous irrigation without pulse irrigation..