RESPONSE OF WHEAT TO IRRIGATION FREQUENCY AND MANURING IN A SALT-AFFECTED SEMIARID ENVIRONMENT

Two field experiments were carried our in the irrigated salt-affected (saline-sodic) semi-arid environment of northern Sudan (Khartoum distr ict). The objective was to examine the response of wheat to irrigation frequency and cattle, chicken manure and urea applications. The resul ts obtained indicated that the grain yield of wheat was increased sign ificantly (p less than or equal to 0.01) by decreasing the irrigation interval from 15 to 5 days. The manures applied were found to be more effective in increasing the grain yield than was urea fertilizer. In a ddition, levels of leaf N, P and K were increased significantly (p les s than or equal to 0.01) with fertilizer application. There were no si gnificant effects on leaf levels of Ca and Mg. Increase in irrigation frequency gave a significant increase (p less than or equal to 0.01) i n the leaf N but not the P, K, Ca and Mg contents. (C) 1995 Academic P ress Limited.