Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research
 

Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research 

Vol. 5(2), pp. 90-97. March, 2017.

ISSN: 2360-7874 

 DOI: 10.14662/ARJASR2016.055

Full Length Research

Effect of Moisture Stress on Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Irrigated Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at Melkassa, Ethiopia

Elias Meskelu¹*, Abraham Woldemichael² and Tilahun Hordofa³

¹Wondo Genet Agricultural Research Center, P.O.Box 198, Shashemene, Ethiopia; ²Hawassa University, P.O.Box 05, Hawassa, Ethiopia; ³Melkassa Agricultural Research Center

*Corresponding author's email: emeskelu@yahoo.com

Accepted 13 February 2017

Field experiment was carried out at Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia located 8^O24'36'' to 8^O26'24'' N and 39^O19'12'' to 39^O19'48'' E with altitude of 1550 m.a.s.l. The objective was to establish optimum moisture stress threshold level for improving water productivity of irrigated wheat under limited water resource scenario. Seven moisture levels (100% ET_C, 85% ET_C, 70% ET_C, 60% ET_C, 50% ET_C, 40% ET_C, and 30% ET_C) were imposed on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) variety kekeba as a treatment and laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. It was found out that different levels of moisture stress had a very highly significant (p<0.001) effect on plant height, spike length, number of grains per spike, aboveground biomass, grain yield, straw yield and water use efficiency. It also affected thousand seed weight highly significantly (p<0.01) and had no significant (p>0.05) effect on number of tillers per square meter and harvesting index. Grain yield reduced with increased stress, whereas WUE was increased with stress level increased. The highest grain yield of 4559.0 kg/ha and WUE of 1.86 kg/m³ were obtained at 100% ET_C and 30% ET_C, respectively. Moreover, 85% ET_C and 70% ET_C treatments showed no significant variation with 100% ET_C in grain yield. However, WUE observed at 70% ET_C treatment was significantly higher than 100% ET_C treatment. Grain yield obtained at 40% ET_C was significantly higher than that obtained at 30% ET_C though WUE of both treatments were statistically similar. Therefore, wheat could be irrigated at 70% ET_C to increase WUE without a significant grain yield reduction. Moreover, it could also be irrigated at 40% ET_C in areas where WUE is top priority with a compromise in grain yield reduction.

Keywords: Irrigation, moisture stress, water productivity, wheat

How to cite this article: Meskelu E, Woldemichael A, Hordofa T (2017). Effect of Moisture Stress on Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Irrigated Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) at Melkassa, Ethiopia. Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. 5(2): 90-97

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