Study of the effect of water stress and nitrogen dose on six Moroccan varieties of soft wheat

Abstract

The aim of this investigation is to evaluate the impact of varying nitrogen dosages and irrigation levels on diverse agronomic parameters, including tiller count, biomass, yield, and associated components. In response to this inquiry, a field trial was executed at the Sidi El Aidi Experimental Station of the INRA in Settat. Three nitrogen treatments were administered across two distinct hydric regimens. The initial treatment set (N0= 15 kg/ha; N1=60 kg/ha; N1= 120 kg/ha) was implemented under rain-fed conditions, whereas the subsequent set (N0= 15 kg/ha; N1=100 kg/ha; N2= 200 kg/ha) was applied under irrigated conditions. These treatments were systematically evaluated across six varieties of soft wheat (Malika, Achtar, Snina, Kharouba, Amal, Arrihane). The outcome of the study delineate that both irrigation and nitrogen fertilization exert a statistically significant and positive influence on pivotal agronomic parameters, including tiller count per plant, biomass accumulation, grain yield, and key yield components such as grains per square meter and thousand-grain weight. Notably, the Snina variety manifested the utmost tiller count, averaging 8.7 under the highest nitrogen dosage (N2) within irrigated conditions. Furthermore, the Achtar variety exhibited the highest grain yield, registering 48.46 quintals per hectare under the influence of the N2 nitrogen dosage. The results underscore the nuanced responses of different varieties to water and nitrogen inputs, underscoring the imperative consideration of specific varietal traits in the context of fertilizer and irrigation management. It is imperative to highlight that additional parameters, such as water use efficiency (WUE) and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), warrant further in-depth investigation to ascertain varieties demonstrating heightened proficiency in resource utilization.