Impact of Irrigation Scheduling, Moisture Conservation Practices and Nutrient Management on Performance of Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

A field experiment was conducted during two consecutive Rabi seasons 2020-21 and 2021-22 at Students’ Instructional Farm of Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India, situated at 125.9 meter altitude, 26.491220 North latitude, 80.3070120 East longitude, to study “Impact of irrigation scheduling, moisture conservation practices and nutrient management on performance of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)”. The experiment consisted three irrigation scheduling viz: I1: two irrigations at CRI and Jointing stage, I2: three irrigations at CRI, Jointing and Booting stage and I3: Four irrigations at CRI, Tillering, Booting and Milking stage, two moisture conservation practices viz: M0: without mulching and M1: Organic mulch @ 10 t ha-1 + Kaolin 6% spray and three nutrient management practices viz: N1: 100% RDF (150:60:40 kg ha-1 NPK), N2: 85% RDF + FYM @ 5.0 t ha-1 and N3: 75% RDF + FYM @ 10.0 t ha-1. The experiment was laid out in double split plot design with three replications. On pooled basis of two years experimentation the results indicated that, four irrigations at CRI, Tillering, Booting and Milking stage (I3) recorded highest value of grain yield (4381.60 kg ha-1), straw yield (6651.15 kg ha-1) and harvest index (39.70 %) with profitability in terms of net return (Rs. 83908.79 ha-1), under moisture conservation practices, organic mulch @ 10 t ha-1 + Kaolin 6% spray (M1) recorded significantly highest grain yield (4230.40 kg ha-1) and straw yield (6578.57 kg ha-1). Among the nutrient management treatments, 85% RDF + FYM @ 5.0 t ha-1 (N2) also recorded maximum grain yield (4117.60 kg ha-1) and straw yield (6338.71 kg ha-1) and net return (Rs. 77770.83 ha-1) compared to other treatments.