EFFECT OF SOWING DATE ON WHEAT YIELD PRODUCTIVITY UNDER NEJD DESERT REGION.

EFFECT OF SOWING DATE ON WHEAT YIELD PRODUCTIVITY UNDER NEJD DESERT REGION.

 

A. A. Hardan

Royal Court Affairs Garden and Farms - Saltanet of Oman.

 

 

ABSTRACT

 Two field experiments were conducted in 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 seasons at Zeenat al Sahra farm of Royal Court Affairs, Nejd region, Governorate of Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman to study the effect of sowing date on some yield attributes of wheat.

The results in both seasons and over them revealed that delaying sowing dates from 1 November to 30 November caused significant reduction in plant height, spike length, number of spikelets/ spike, number of spikes /m2, number of grains / spike, 1000- grain weight, grain yield and biological yield in both studied seasons and over them, however , straw yield in the 2006/ 2007 season only not effect significantly by delaying sowing dates.

Delay sowing dates from 1 November to 30 November caused reduction in grain yield/ fad by 41.71 % , 27.10 % and 35.68 % in first season, second season and over them, respectively.  

Grain yield / fad showed positive and significant correlation with the number of grains /spike, number of spikes/m2 and 1000 grain weight

The most positively correlated component to grain yield was spike length which had the highest direct relationship with grain yield under the first and third sowing dates.

Spike length, number of grains / spike and 1000- grain weight contributed to together 71.78%, 58. 68% and 61.44% of the total grain yield variation under the three sowing dates, 1 November, 15 November and 30 November,  respectively.

The highest indirect association to grain yield was due to spike length through 1000- grain weight,   under the first sowing date.

            Conclusively, from these results it could be concluded that dealing sowing date caused significantly reduction in grain yield of wheat, under Najd desert condition.

            Key words : Wheat, sowing date, path analysis

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

             In Sultanate of Oman the development of the agriculture sector is considered as one of the ways to achieve true development in Oman economy, because the Sultanate of Oman depended on agriculture form hundreds of years by harmonizing with the nature until the time of oil discovery.

            Under such circumstances, existence of ground water was noticed under the Nejd desert region during the oil exploration.

            Hence, the government of Sultanate of Oman had made a plan to clarify the development of potentiality of the resources for new agriculture development in Nejd region.

The cultivation of the field crops in Oman has the same inherent problems and these are to be tackled on war footing with the aid of modern technology.

            The economic yield of any crop species depends on the physiology and plant growth and development. These in turn depends on genetic make up of the plant and environment factors and their interactions.

            The modern crop production technology revolves around  used of good seeds, maintaining proper soil conditions, proper time of planting, improved irrigation technology, integrated pest, disease and weed management  techniques and appropriate mechanization. 

In Oman wheat is one of the main cereal crops. The policy of the country aims to improve wheat production.

The total annual national production of wheat can be mainly increase by sowing wheat in the optimum date specially in the  newly reclaimed soils such as Nejd desert.

Historically sowing date have received much attention from researchers in wheat producing countries. This factor plays the important role effecting quantity and quality grain yield. Mahanta(1967), Abd El- Bar (1968), Ibrahim (1972), Ralph (1984), Megahed (1985) and Hanna et al.(1995) found that delaying the date of sowing caused decreases the number of spikes/m² number of grains/ spike 1000-grain weight and grain yield /fad., while spike length was not affected by delaying the sowing date. Pal et al (1996) reported that sowing date of wheat after 24 November reduced the grain yield by 37.5 kg / ha per day. Abd El- Gawad et al.(1997) stated that delaying sowing date from the first of November caused a significant reduction in grain and straw yield, 1000- kernels weight, number of spikes per square meter. Kumar and Kumar (1997) reported that grain yield decreased with the delay of sowing date.

            Also, Hassan and Gaballah (1999) reported that delay sowing from 10 November to 30 of November caused reduction in grain yield/ fad by 28.23 %, 38.77% and 33.62 % in first season, second season and over them, respectively and added that delaying sowing date caused significant reduction in plant height, flag leaf blade area, number of spikes/m², number of spikelets /spike, number of grains / spike, 1000-grain weight, straw yield, biological yield, and grain yield /fad. However, spike length in both seasons and over them, as well as, number of spikelets/spike in 1997/1998 season only was not affected significantly by sowing date.

            Therefore, the aim of this work was to investigate the effect of sowing date on the productivity of Oman wheat variety name's kooley under Nejd desert region.

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 

            Two field experiments was conducted in 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 at Zeenat al Sahra farm of Royal Court Affairs, Nejd region, Governorate of Dhofar, Sultanate of Oman, to study the effect of sowing dates on some yield attributes of Oman wheat local variety name's kooley.

           The soil of experimentation site is loamy sand and the mechanical analysis of the soil in experimental sites is given in Table 1.

            The completely randomized design (CRD) with six replicates was used in both seasons.

            The three sowing dates 1^st November (D1), 15^th November (D2) and 30^th November (D3) were assigned to plots. Plot size was 9 m² (3×3) including 10 rows 30cm apart 3m length. Dates of sowing were 1^st November, 15^th November and 30^th November in both seasons. Wheat seeds where drilled in rows 30 cm apart at seeding rate 42 kg/fad.  Sprinkler irrigation was followed. Normal agronomic practices was adopted as usually done by local growers.

 

Table 1: Some physical and chemical properties of experimental soil.

 

            At harvest ten competitive plants were randomly taken from a second inner rows of each plot to determine plant height (cm), spike length (with awn), number of spikelets /spike number of grains/spike. Also, a fixed area of 2 m² was harvested from each plot to determine number of spikes /m², 1000-grain weight, grain yield, straw yield and biological yield/fad.

             Dates of both seasons and over them were statistically analyzed according to Sendecor and Cochran (1967). For comparison between means, Duncan's multiple range test was applied (Duncan, 1955). Means followed by the same alphabetical letter are not statistically different at the 0.05 level of significant. The companied data of the most yield attributes and grain yield were subjected to simple correlation and path coefficient analysis.

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

 

            Effect of sowing date on grain yield and its attributes of wheat are presented in Tables 2, 3 and 4.

            Plant height, spike length and number of spikelets /spike consistently and significantly decreased with delaying sowing date in both seasons and over them.

            The highest values were obtained from sowing at 1^st November.    Over the two seasons plant highest decreased by 9 and 25 % with delaying sowing from 1^st November to 15^th November and to 30^th November respectively.

            The respective percentage of decrements in spike length were 9% and 17% and in number of spikelets/spike were 13 and 19% due to delaying sowing date from 1^st November to 15^th November and  to 30^th November, respectively ( Table 2).

            Results in Table 3 showed that number of spikes/m² and number of grains/spike were significantly decreased by delaying of sowing date from 1^st November to 15^th and 30^th November in both seasons and over them, meanwhile 1000-grain weight not affect significantly by delaying sowing date from 1^st November to 15^th November and from 15^th November to 30^th November in both seasons and over them, but from 1^st November to 30^th November, the results indicate high significant differences and showed reduction in 1000-grain weight by delaying sowing date.

            Sown wheat in 1^st November produced significantly the highest grain yield and straw yield in both seasons and over them except straw yield in the 2006/2007 season which not affected significantly by delaying sowing date.

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                      

                                                                          

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comparing to this earliest sowing 1^st November the results revealed that latest sowing 30^th November caused significant reduction in grain yield  by  41.72 %, 27.10 % and 35.68 % and  in straw  yield by  45.56 %, 41.08 % and 46.64 % in 2006/2007, 2007/2008 and over them, respectively.

            Biological yield which consist of both grain yield and straw yield was influenced significantly by delaying sowing date. Delay of sowing date from 1^st November to 30^th November caused reduction in  the biological yield by 49.18%, 38.36% and 43.64% in 2006/2007, 2007/2008 and in combined data, respectively.

            Decrements in wheat yield and its components as sowing date was delayed, might be attributed to wide change in weather conditions particularly temperature between the three sowing dates. By the end of November the mean weather temperature usually falls evidently which might affect negatively the negative growth of wheat plants and there tillering capacity as expressed by plant height and number of spikes/m² in this study.  This in turn might affect negatively the yield attributes (No.of spikelets/spike and 1000-grain weight) which could account much for the decrease of grain and straw yield. Moreover, the possible raize in weather temperature by the end of growth season of wheat usually affect negatively the grain filling particularly those of delayed sown plants. The obtained results were in harmony with results obtained by Mahanta(1967) Abd El-Bar (1968), Ibrahim (1972), Ralph (1984), Megahad (1985), Hanna et al. (1995), Pal et al. (1996), Abdel-Gawad et al. (1997), Kumar and Kumar (1997) and Hassan and Gaballah (1999).

 

Yield analysis:

A-     Simple correlation coefficients between grain yield / fad and yield attributes:

            The interrelationships between grain yield/fad and yield attributes measured as simple correlation are presented in Table 5. It could be seen from the data that positive and significant correlation coefficient were found between grain yield/fad and each of number of spikes/m² (0.710), spike length (0.932), number of grains/spike (0.876) and 1000-grain weight (0.710). Close positive and significant correlation was found between number of spikes/m² and 1000-grain weight (0.790), spike length (0.850) and number of grains/spike (0.929). Significant correlation coefficient was found between spike length and 1000-grain weight (0.740) and with number of grains/spike (0.936).

In addition significant correlation coefficient was found between numbers of grains/spike and 1000-grain weight (0.824).

 

Table 5. Simple correlation coefficients between grain yield/ fad. and yield components over treatments and seasons.

 

B- Path analysis:

It was found from Table 6 that spike length number of grains/spike and 1000-grain weight contributed together 71.78%, 58.68% and 61.44% of total grain yield variations under the three sowing dates, first of November, 15^th and 30^th November, respectively. However the most directly and/or jointly contributing component was spike length (28.26% and 6.90%) followed by 1000-grain weight (15.42% and 5.65%) then number of grains/spike(10.10% and 5045%) in the respective order in the first sowing date. While, under the second sowing date, the most   directly

 

Table 6. Direct and joint effects of grain yield attributes presented as a percentage of variation of wheat yield (combined data across season).

 

and /or jointly contributing component was number of grains/spike (19.32% and 4.77%) followed by spike length (15.24% and 4.72%) then 1000-grain weight (10.44% and 4.19%) in respective order. For the third sowing date the most directly and/or jointly contributing component was spike length (18.42% and 4.25%) followed by number of grains/spike (17.30% and 3.30%) then 1000-grain weight (14.02% and 4.15%) in respective order.

            Conclusively, from these results it could be concluded that dealing sowing date caused significantly reduction in grain yield of wheat, under Najed desert condition.

 

REFERENCES

 

Abdu El-Bar, M. Z. (1968): Effect of date of seeding time of harvest on yield and other agronomic characteristics of wheat. M. Sc. Thesis, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Egypt.

Abd El-Gawad,Y.G.; M. A. Eid and A. M. Tamam (1997): Wheat as a dua purpose crop for grain yield and forage production affecting by planting date and seeding rate in New Valley region. Egyptian Journal of   Applied  Science, 12(8): 491- 505.

Duncan, B. D. (1955): Multiple range and multiple F- test.Biometrics, 11: 1-42.

Hanna, N.S.; A.M. Eissa and M. M. Abdel-Aleem (1995): Effect of clipping on wheat grain yield, yield components of forage production under different nitrogen levels and seeding dates. Egyptian Journal of  Applied  Science, 10(4): 1-11.

Hassan, A. A. and A.B Gaballah (1999): The response of wheat cultivars to sowing date and foliar nutrition in newly reclaimed sandy soils. Zagazig Journal of  Agriculture Research , 26 (6): 1521-1533

Ibrahim, A. A. (1972): Differential response of dwarf wheat varieties to time of planting and rate of seeding. Ph.D Thesis, India Agriculture Research Institute.

Kumar, R. and S. Kumar, (1997): Effect of time of sowing and nitrogen application on macaroni wheat (Triticum durum)  for yield and some quality parameters in sandy loam soil of Haryana. Indian Journal of Agriculture Science, 67(11) 543-544.

Mahanta, G.C (1967): Effect of time and method of sowing on the growth and yield of wheat. Indian Journal of Agronomy, 12:411-415.

Megahed, M.A.M (1985): Effect of cutting on growth and yield of wheat and barley. M. Sc. Thesis, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University,   Egypt.

Pal, S. K.; J. Kaur; R. T. Hakuri; U. N Verma and M. K. Singh (1996): Effect of irrigation, Seeding date and fertilizer on growth and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum). India Journal of Agronomy, 41(3)386-389

Ralph, W. (1984): The value of dual-purpose crops. Rural Research,(1983/1984) 121: 4-7.

Sendecor, G.W and W.G Cochran(1967): Statistical Methods. The Iowa State, University Press Ames,  Iowa, U.S.A., 543pp

 

 

 

تأثیر میعاد الزراعة على إنتاجیة محصول القمح تحتظروف منطقة النجد

 

على بن نصیب مبارک حاردان

الحدائق والمزارع السلطانیة-  شئون البلاط السلطانى – سلطنة عمان.

 

 

أقیمت تجربتان حقلیتان خلال موسمی 2006/2007،2007/2008 بمزرعة زینة الصحراء إحدى الحدائق والمزارع السلطانیة بصحراء النجد بمحافظة ظفار سلطنة عمان وذلک لدراسة تأثیر میعاد الزراعة على بعض مکونات المحصول فی القمح ویمکن تلخیص أهم النتائج المتحصل علیها فیما یلی:

1-تأخیر میعاد الزراعة من 1 نوفمبر إلى 30 نوفمبر أدى إلى حدوث نقص معنوی فی طول النبات وطول السنبلة وعدد السنیبلات فی المتر المربع وعدد حبوب السنبلة ووزن الألف حبة ومحصول الحبوب ومحصول القش والمحصول البیولوجی.

2- تأخیر میعاد الزراعة من 1 نوفمبر إلى 30 نوفمبر أدى إلى نقص فی محصول الفدان من الحبوب مقداره41.71 %  ، 27.10 %، 35.68% فی الموسم الأول والثانی وتحلیل التباین التجمیعی على التوالی.

3- کان هناک ارتباط موجب  عالی المعنویة بین کل من محصول الفدان من الحبوب وطول السنبلة وعدد حبوب السنبلة وعدد السنابل فی المتر المربع وکذلک وزن الإلف حبة.

4- بتحلیل المحصول وجد أن صفة طول السنبلة هی أکثر مکونات المحصول أهمیة وذات تأثیر مباشر على المحصول ووجد أیضا أن أعلى تأثیر غیر مباشر على المحصول کان نتیجة التفاعل بین کل من طول السنبلة ووزن الألف حبة.

5- أوضحت النتائج إن کل من طول السنبلة وعدد حبوب السنبلة ووزن الألف حبة ساهمت مجتمعة فی تکوین71.78% ، 58.68% ،61.44% من المحصول خلال میعاد الزراعة الأول والثانی والثالث على التوالی.

التوصیة : توصى الدراسة بضرورة وحتمیة التبکیر فی زراعة القمح تحت ظروف منطقة النجد وعلى أن لا یتعدى میعاد الزراعة الأسبوع الأول من شهر نوفمبر. 

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