Growth, yield and water use in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties as affected by critical growth stage based irrigation scheduling

Manpreet

Growth, yield and water use in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties as affected by critical growth stage based irrigation scheduling

Date

2024

Authors

Manpreet

Publisher

Punjab Agricultural University

Abstract

The present study entitled “Growth, yield and water use in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties as affected by critical growth stage based irrigation scheduling” was conducted at Students’ Research Farm, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana (LDH) and Regional Research Station, Kapurthala (KPT), during rabi 2022-23. Two varieties [DWRB 123 (VDW) and PL 891 (VPL)] and six irrigation schedules [one irrigation at crown root initiation (CRI) (I1C), two irrigations at CRI and ear emergence (I2CE), three irrigations at CRI, ear emergence and milking (I3CEM), four irrigations at CRI, tillering, ear emergence and milking (I4CTEM), five irrigations at CRI, tillering, ear emergence, milking and dough stage (I5CTEMD) and PAU recommended irrigation (I1PAU)] were evaluated under RCBD. The results revealed that VDW recorded grain yield of 40.9 and 40.6 q ha-1, being significantly higher by 8.8 and 8.5% than VPL at LDH and KPT, respectively. The highest grain yield under VDW was due to significantly higher tiller count, dry matter accumulation (DMA) and leaf area index (LAI) than VPL. Protein content in VDW was 10.77 and 10.65% at LDH and KPT, respectively, and, significantly lower than VPL. Starch content was higher in VDW than VPL, at both locations. The higher malt recovery, malt yield, distatic power (DP) and α-amylase activity was observed under VDW than VPL, at both locations. Water use was higher in VDW than VPL, by 8.2 and 7.3%, at respective locations. Apparent crop water productivity (ACWP) and total crop water productivity (TCWP) under VDW was significantly higher than VPL by 4.9 and 6.1%, at LDH, and 7.1 and 7.1% at KPT, respectively. At LDH, among irrigation schedules, I3CEM (43.1 q ha-1) recorded significantly higher grain yield than I1C, I2CE and IPAU, but statistically at par with I4CTEM (43.0 q ha-1) and I5CTEMD (41.5 q ha-1). Similar results were observed at KPT. At both locations, I1PAU recorded numerically higher grain yield than I1C. The increase in grain yield with higher irrigation frequency was due to combined impact of higher effective tillers m-2, DMA, grains ear-1, test weight, LAI, chlorophyll content, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance. Average net returns of both locations in VDWI4CTEM were marginally higher by 2.7% than VDWI3CEM. Malt recovery, malt yield along with grain quality (protein and starch content) and malt quality (DP and α-amylase activity) improved with increment in irrigations. At both locations, ACWP and TCWP were higher under one irrigation (I1C and IPAU) than higher levels. I3CEM recorded higher ACWP and TCWP than I4CTEM and I5CTEMD. Real crop water productivity was quite higher under I3CEM, I4CTEM and I5CTEMD than lower levels. The highest water use (ETc) was observed under VDWI4CTEM at both locations. Since no significant increase in grain yield was observed after three irrigations (I3CEM), hence, I3CEM turned out to be the most suitable irrigation schedule at both locations. Also, considering the significant grain yield enhancement under I3CEM over currently recommended schedule i.e. I1PAU, the I3CEM may be considered as the highly appropriate irrigation schedule.

Citation

Manpreet (2024). Growth, yield and water use in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties as affected by critical growth stage based irrigation scheduling (Unpublished M.Sc. thesis). Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, Punjab, India.