Effect of irrigation method and different tillage systems in soil water relations and wheat production

The aim of this study is to study the effect of irrigation method and tillage layer on water movement in the soil and how this relates to the water needs and water efficiency of the wheat crop. A field experiment was carried out in 4 × 6 m 2 pallets in 2016 in Hashimiya, 20 km southeast of Babylon governorate at 44.14 ° east longitude and 33.14 ° north latitude and 34 m above sea level. In clay-texture soil, the split-plot design was used in accordance with randomized completely block design ( RCBD) with three replications. The sprinkler irrigation and surface irrigation methods are the main plots and the tillage pattern (traditional tillage 0-20 cm and deep plowing 0-45 cm) occupies the secondary plots. The amount of irrigation water and irrigation time were determined based on depletion of 50-60% of the ready water of the layer 0-20 cm from the planting till the beginning of flowering. During the flowering and maturing stages, it had been extended to include the layer 0 - 40 cm. The water content of the layers 0-30, 30-60, and 60-90 cm were measured during the crop growth season by using the neutron hygrometer. The water balance equation was used to determine the actual evapotranspiration (ETa) through monitoring the change in the water content of the layer 0 - 90 cm. In addition to that, evaporation of evaporation pan (EPAN), evapo-transpiration (ET0) and crop coefficient (KC) were also measured. The results showed the highest moisture content in the layer 0-30 cm for the surface irrigation and traditional tillage treatment. The increase rate reached 21 and 20.5% compared to 30-60 and 60-90 cm, respectively. The actual evaporation values of the wheat crop were 496 mm for the surface irrigation and traditional tillage treatment and reached 564 mm for the surface irrigation and deep tillage treatment. On the other hand, the actual evaporation were 390 mm for the sprinkler irrigation and traditional tillage treatment and reached 406 mm for sprinkler irrigation and deep tillage treatment. The sprinkler irrigation method and the deep tillage were superior to the surface irrigation method in the grain crop. The deep tillage gave a crop of 5354 kg / ha. while the traditional tillage produced 5160 kg / ha. of the same crop.