Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Growth, Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Wheat in Silt Loam-amended Loamy Sand

M. A. Mojid
Department of Irrigation and Water Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh–2202, Bangladesh

S. M. T. Mustafa
Department of Irrigation and Water Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh–2202, Bangladesh

G. C. L. Wyseure
Division of Land and Water Management, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Celestjnenlaan 200E, 3001 Leuven (Heverlee), Belgium

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

This study investigated the growth, yield and water use efficiency of wheat in five soil textures obtained by amendment. This was done by executing field experiments that consisted of five soil treatments with 3 replications. The treatments were: (i) T₁: loamy sand, (ii) T₂: sandy loam, (iii) T₃: loam 1, (iv) T₄: loam 2 and (v) T₅: silt loam (used as amendment). Wheat was cultivated with four irrigations and recommended dose of fertilizers. Increased porosity and pore size distribution in the finer-textured soils improved soil structure with a consequent improvement in soil physico-chemical properties. The saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased significantly, while field capacity and water retention increased considerably as the textured of the soil become finer. The improved water and organic matter contents in treatments T₂– T₅ stimulated growth of wheat and caused significant (p = 0.05) increase in leaf area index, plant height, number of total and effective tillers per plant, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike, grain yield, and biological yield compared to T₁. The roots grew and branched profusely in the soil of high moisture and organic matter content; the largest root biomass was in the upper 20 cm of soil depth in all the treatments. The enhanced vegetative growth in terms of plant height and number of tillers per plant helped increasing straw yield, which together with yield attributing characters, improved the biological yield in the finer textured soils. Treatments T₂ – T₄ produced 1.2 to 2.8 times higher grain and biological yields compared to T₁. The irrigation requirement and total water used in a treatment increased as the texture of a soil became coarser. Treatment T₂saved 1 to 13.6% and T₃– T₅ saved 29.4 to 57.5% irrigation water compared to T₁_. T₁ provided the lowest water use efficiency, which increased gradually as the texture became finer. All treatments except T₁ maintained improved water regime.

Keywords: Clay content, Soil water, Wheat cultivation, Growth and yield, Water use efficiency

Location: Bangladesh Agricultural University , Mymensingh, Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-00-2007

End Date: 00-00-2009

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Wheat

Objectives:

To evaluate the physico-chemical properties of five different textured soils,
_{To investigate the growth, yield and water use efficiency of wheat in}silt loam-amended loamy sand soil.

Methodology:

The field experiments were done at the experimental farm (24.75oN latitude, 90.50oE longitude) of the Bangladesh Agricultural University at Mymensingh, Bangladesh during the wheat growing seasons (December – March) of 2007−2008 and 2008−2009. Five soils: (i) T₁: loamy sand, (ii) T₂: sandy loam, (iii) T₃: loam 1, (iv) T₄: loam 2 and (v) T₅: silt loam were selected as treatments. Treatments T₂, T₃ and T₄ were realized by mixing approximately 75, 50 and 25% (by volume) loamy sand to the natural field soil (silt loam, T₅). The treatments were replicated thrice and the experiments were set up in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Three blocks, each of size 15 m x 1 m, were selected within an area of 15 m x 9 m in the experimental field. Each block was subdivided into 5 unit plots; the size of the unit plot was 1 m². The distance both between the adjacent blocks and adjacent plots was 2 m. A pit of 1 m² area and 0.6 m deep was dug in each plot. The soil, dug out from the plots, was thoroughly mixed manually. Loamy sand collected from the river Brahmaputra was dried in the sun. Erecting polyethylene sheet on the sides to prevent seepage, 3 pits were filled with the loamy sand (T₁), 3 with silt loam / field soil (T₅), and other pits with the mixture of loamy sand and silt loam soil at different proportions to realize the 3 remaining treatments. The crop was harvested on 3 April 2008 after 104 days of sowing in the first year and on 25 March 2009 after 110 days of sowing in the second year when the spikes were completely ripened. At the time of harvesting, ten plants from each plot were selected randomly and kept in separate bundles. The crop of the whole plot was also harvested, bundled separately and tagged. Data on plant height, length of spike, spikelets per spike and number of grains per spike were recorded on the ten sampled plants. Soil-water content at 0 – 20 cm soil profile of the plots was measured at sowing, before irrigation, immediately after irrigation, 48 hours after irrigation or rainfall and at harvesting during the two crop seasons with a Trime FM soil moisture meter. Three soil samples were collected from each plot at 20 cm increments to a depth of 60 cm by using hand auger after harvesting the crop.

Source of Information: J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 7(2): 403–410, 2009 ISSN 1810-3030

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Amendment of loamy sand by silt loam improved soil structure by increasing porosity and altering the pore size distribution. The soil-water content and organic matter of the finer textured soils were considerably higher than that of loamy sand. A small increase in silt loam remarkably improved soil-water distribution, the rate of which, however, decreased with further increase in silt loam. The improved soil structure reduced saturated hydraulic conductivity and increased field capacity. The increased soil water and organic matter in the finer textured soils stimulated growth of wheat and caused significant (p = 0.05) increase in leaf area index, plant height, number of total and effective tillers per plant, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike, grain yield and biological yield compared to loamy sand. Elevated soil-water retention and organic matter helped increasing the grain and straw yields and hence biological yield of wheat; the amended soils produced 1.2 to 2.8 times higher grain and biological yields compared to loamy sand. The irrigation requirement and total water used in a treatment increased with decreasing silt loam. The amended soils, except for the lowest amendment, saved 29.4 to 57.5% irrigation water. Loamy sand always provided the lowest water use efficiency that gradually increased with increasing quantity of silt loam.

Knowledge Management: Journal