INTEGRATED IRRIGATION AND NITROGEN SCHEDULING IMPROVES YIELD ATTRIBUTES AND PRODUCTIVITY OF WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) UNDER SEMI-ARID CONDITIONS

Abstract

Background: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) productivity in semi-arid regions is frequently constrained by inadequate irrigation and inefficient nitrogen management, which adversely affect yield attributes and final crop productivity. Optimizing irrigation regimes together with appropriate nitrogen scheduling is therefore essential to improve reproductive performance and maximize wheat yield under water-limited conditions. Methods: A field experiment was conducted during the Rabi season of 2024–25 at the Research Farm of Vivekananda Global University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. The experiment comprised nine treatment combinations involving three irrigation regimes, viz., three irrigations (I₁), four irrigations (I₂) and five irrigations (I₃), and three nitrogen scheduling treatments, viz., N₁ (50% nitrogen at basal + 50% at crown root initiation (CRI)), N₂ (50% at basal + 25% at CRI + 25% at jointing stage) and N₃ (33.33% each at basal, CRI and jointing stages). The treatments were evaluated in a split-plot design with three replications. Yield attributes, including total tillers per plant, effective tillers, grains per spike, spike length and test weight, together with grain, straw, biological yields and harvest index, were recorded and statistically analysed using analysis of variance. Results: Irrigation regimes and nitrogen scheduling significantly influenced all yield attributes and yield parameters, whereas their interaction was non-significant. Among irrigation regimes, I₃ (five irrigations) recorded the highest effective tillers (72.92 m⁻²), grains per spike (40.22), spike length (8.25 cm), test weight (44.41 g), grain yield (4461 kg ha⁻¹), straw yield (6392 kg ha⁻¹) and biological yield (10853 kg ha⁻¹). Likewise, nitrogen application in three equal splits (N₃) produced the maximum effective tillers (72.61 m⁻²), grains per spike (40.15), spike length (8.25 cm), test weight (44.48 g), grain yield (4476 kg ha⁻¹), straw yield (6374 kg ha⁻¹) and biological yield (10850 kg ha⁻¹). Harvest index remained statistically unaffected by either irrigation regimes or nitrogen scheduling. The findings indicate that scheduling five irrigations together with three equal split applications of nitrogen at basal, CRI and jointing stages effectively improves yield attributes and enhances wheat productivity under semi-arid conditions.