Effect of restricted irrigation on new genotypes of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Introduction

Wheat [Triticum aestivum L.] is one of the world's important staple cereal crops and has played a crucial role in human civilization for thousands of years. It is believed to have originated in South Western Asia and subsequently spread throughout Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. Wheat quickly spread globally due to its adaptability to diverse climates. It is consumed in various forms such as bread, cakes, biscuits, bakery products and confectionery products. The high nutritive value of wheat flour (65-75% carbohydrates, 8-13% protein, 0.8-1.5% oil, 0.3-0.5% mineral matter and 0.2% cellulose) has made the crop more valuable for human consumption (Thakur et al., 2000) [21] . Wheat is one of the most important cereal crops in the world. It occupies an area of 224.05 M ha in the world with a production of 793.37 Mt. Whereas in India, it is cultivated to an extent of 31.82 M ha with a production of 112.74 Mt and a productivity of 3543 kg ha-1 and it ranks second after rice in terms of area & production among the cereals in our country. Wheat is grown on around 127 thousand ha of land in Chhattisgarh, with a production of 191 thousand tonnes and a productivity of 1501 kg ha -1 during the year 2023-24 (Anonymous, 2023-24) [4] . The lack of improved varieties suitable for late-sowing conditions, along with their comparatively shorter growing periods, remains a major constraint on wheat production. Additionally, in late-sown conditions, cultivars differ in yield potential and nutrient uptake (Singh et al., 1998) [19] . Wheat varieties with a preference for photoperiod and thermo-insensitive traits are typically more suited to a wider variety of sowing times in an irrigation system because they can still produce satisfactory grain yield even when planted late. In recent years, several wheat varieties have been developed with improved temperature tolerance, increased yield potential even with delayed sowing and resistance to diseases and insect pests. Sowing time significantly influences crop growth, yield attributes, and grain and straw yields. To achieve maximum yield, it is critical to select the right cultivar at the right place. Being a thermo-sensitive crop, the choice of a suitable cultivar for different agro-climatic regions is of prime importance. As a result of concerted and persistent effort, several high-yielding wheat varieties have been developed. Newer high-yielding varieties, being relatively thermotolerant, perform better even under variable climatic conditions. Water is required throughout the crop growth period, from seed germination to plant maturity. The frequency of irrigation and grain yield has a favourable relationship (Pereira et al., 2002) [14] . Moisture stress during a critical growth stage may significantly reduce grain yield by lowering test weight. Efficient water management is an effective agronomic strategy that not only improves crop yield but also reduces susceptibility to disease and insect pests, while providing a favourable environment for these biotic constraints to thrive (Singh et al., 2020) [18] . However, water resources are limited; the effects of restricted irrigation on crop yield and WUE depend on growth stage, which is fundamentally dependent on irrigation water, and the most sensitive growth stage differs from region to region. Compared with more irrigation for wheat, restricted irrigation achieves the highest water-use efficiency and saves water (Yusuf et al., 2019) [24] . Wheat is sensitive to both excess and deficit water conditions. Restricted irrigation helps in optimising water use by providing the crop with the necessary amount of water at the right time. Over-irrigation can lead to excessive vegetative growth and reduced grain quality, including lower protein content and increased susceptibility to lodging. Restricted irrigation promotes better partitioning of resources towards grain development, resulting in higher grain quality. Chhattisgarh, like many other regions in India, faces water scarcity issues in the Rabi season, particularly during the month of October. The limited availability of water resources requires optimal use of water in agricultural activities. Restricted irrigation helps conserve water and use it more efficiently. Restricted irrigation can also provide economic benefits for farmers by reducing water costs and potentially increasing crop yields through improved water management. Overall, the practice of restricted irrigation in wheat cultivation in Chhattisgarh aims to address water scarcity, promote environmental sustainability, optimise resource use, and ensure the long-term viability of agriculture in the region.

Materials and methods

A field experiment entitled "Effect of restricted irrigation on new genotypes of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)" was conducted during the rabi season 2025-26 at Instructional Farm of Barrister Thakur Chhedilal College of Agriculture and Research Station, Sarkanda, Bilaspur (C.G.). The treatment consisted of three irrigation levels as main-plot treatments viz., I₁ -no irrigation, I₂ -one irrigation at CRI (18-20 DAS) and I₃ -two irrigations at CRI and boot leaf stage (60-65 DAS), with five wheat genotypes as sub-plot treatments viz., V₁ -NIAW 4533, V₂ -DBW 110 (C), V₃ -DBW 359 (C), V₄ -CG 1040 (C) and V₅ -HI 1700, which were laid out in a split plot design with three replications. The crop was grown using recommended agronomic practices and fertilizer management as per the standard recommendation for wheat under the experimental conditions. Observations regarding the effect of restricted irrigation and genotypes on growth and phenological parameters of wheat were recorded at different stages of crop growth. The observations included plant population, plant height, number of tillers, dry matter accumulation and other growth parameters, along with phenological stages such as days to CRI, flag leaf stage, booting, heading and anthesis. Thermal indices including growing degree days (GDD), photo-thermal units (PTU) and other relevant indices were calculated at different phenological stages. Water-related parameters, including water expense (mm) and water expense efficiency (kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹), were also determined to assess the efficiency of water utilization under different irrigation regimes. Yield and yield-attributing characteristics were recorded, including ear length, number of grains ear head⁻¹, test weight (g), grain yield, straw yield and harvest index. Economic parameters, namely cost of cultivation (₹ ha⁻¹), gross return (₹ ha⁻¹), net return (₹ ha⁻¹) and B:C ratio, were also worked out to determine the profitability of wheat cultivation under different irrigation regimes and genotypes.

Results and discussions Effect of irrigation levels

Conclusion

The study concluded that I₃ (two irrigations, one at CRI stage (18-20 DAS) and another at boot leaf stage (60-65 DAS)) was the most effective irrigation regime for wheat, resulting in superior growth, yield-attributing characters, grain yield (36.68 q ha⁻¹) and overall economic performance. Among the tested genotypes, V₄ -CG 1040 (C) exhibited the best performance with respect to growth characteristics, dry matter accumulation, yield attributes, grain yield and straw yield, and remained statistically superior to the other evaluated genotypes. From an economic perspective, I₃ recorded the highest gross return (₹ 92,617.00 ha⁻¹), net return (₹ 61,989.00 ha⁻¹) and benefit-cost ratio (2.02). Among the genotypes, V₄ -CG 1040 (C) proved to be the most economically promising, registering the maximum gross return (₹ 84,865.25 ha⁻¹), net return (₹ 55,529.25 ha⁻¹) and benefit-cost ratio (1.89), followed by V₁ -NIAW 4533. Thus, under the conditions of the present investigation, irrigation at the CRI and boot leaf stages along with genotype V₄ -CG 1040 (C) may be considered a promising combination for achieving higher productivity and profitability in wheat.

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