H. Fardad et M. Pessarakli, BIOMASS PRODUCTION AND WATER-USE EFFICIENCY OF BARLEY AND WHEAT PLANTS WITH DIFFERENT IRRIGATION INTERVALS AT VARIOUS WATER LEVELS, Journal of plant nutrition, 18(12), 1995, pp. 2643-2654
Biomass production in terms of dry-matter yield of both straw and grai
ns of barley (Hordeum vulgare L., cv. 'Walfajr') and wheat (Triticum a
estivum L., cv. 'Karaj I') plants subjected to water stress were studi
ed at the College of Agriculture, University of Tehran Experimental fa
rm located in the city of Karaj, Iran. The treatments consisted of two
irrigation intervals, 7 and 14 days. Six water levels, 100, 80, 60, 4
0, 20, and 0% of the crops' total water requirements were used at each
irrigation interval. The experimental units consisted of 2.5m x 2.5m
plots replicated three times for each treatment. A 1m x 1m sub-plot at
the center of each 2.5m x 2.5m plot was selected and the plants were
harvested to prevent border effects. After each harvest, the straw and
the grains were separated and weighed. Total dry-matter yield of stra
w and grains significantly decreased by decreasing applied water level
s (especially, at the lower water levels, 40, 20, and 0%) and increasi
ng irrigation intervals for both plants. Water use efficiency (WUE) wa
s higher at the higher applied water levels for the straw than for the
grains for barley, however, the trend was reverse for wheat plants. T
he WUE decreased for straw by deceasing applied water in both barley a
nd wheat plants.