Preliminary Agronomic Studies on Wheat and Barley in the 1977-78 Season

Abstract

The effect of seed rate, row spacing, and sowing date on six cereal varieties (two durum wheat, two bread wheat, and two barley) was studied at Tel Hadya, both under rainfed conditions and with one supplementary irrigation. The effect of nitrogen fertilization was studied under rainfed conditions for two barley varieties. The seed rate had a significant effect under rainfed conditions (highest yields being obtained at highest seed rates, 130 kg/ha, planting being done by seed drill), but not under supplementary irrigation. The variety and seed rate interaction was significant. Tiller number of all varieties increased, but vitreousness of durum wheat decreased, with an increase in seed rate. Row spacing had no significant effect on the performance of the varieties. The trial is being repeated in the 1978-79 season using drill sowing at all spacings. Early sowing gave higher yields than medium or late sowing under both rainfed and irrigated conditions, mainly due to the greater number of grains per spike. There was a significant variety of x sowing date interaction, with barley being more suitable for late sowing than wheat. Moderate applications of nitrogen fertilizer (40 and 60kg N/ha) gave significant increases in barley grain yields. The average yield of four wheat varieties over three trials were 1095 kg/ha under rainfed conditions compared to 2079 kg/ha with one supplementary irrigation. Irrigation increased all yield components, especially the number of grains per tiller. The main yield of barley under rainfed conditions (three trials) was 2114 kg/ha compared to 1095 kg/ha for the four wheat varieties.