Unbalanced panel data from wheat fields in India: supplemental irrigation and food system sustainability

Abstract Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) is a major winter season crop and a primary source of food and income for farmers in eastern India. Inadequate irrigation of wheat in this area limits its production potential. Our study evaluates the significance of one additional irrigation (supplemental) to wheat. The study presents large-scale multi-location agronomic field/on-farm trial data of supplemental irrigation conducted over six consecutive years in eastern India. The extensive agricultural experiment covered 1810 farmers’ fields spanning five agro-climatic zones. The objective was to validate the contribution of supplemental irrigation applied to wheat at the grain-filling stage in supporting wheat grain yield. The on-farm experiment was structured as a split-plot design, with the additional irrigation (Treatment) randomly assigned to sub-plots. All field locations were geo-tagged and grain yields were recorded using physical crop cuts. The data was carefully curated, anonymized, and released through a Dataverse portal making it reusable and interoperable. The dataset is invaluable in understanding sustainable wheat production in regions where wheat is inadequately irrigated.