Influence of Sowing Dates and Irrigation Regimes on Wheat Phenology, Growth and Yield in the Semi-Arid Region of Haryana, India

Abstract

Wheat is a crucial crop in North West India, primarily consumed as chapatti, but its productivity has declined in recent years due to temperature stress and changing cropping patterns. This study aims to evaluate management practices that can mitigate these stresses and improve wheat yield in Haryana’s semi-arid region during the winter growing season. A field experiment was conducted at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, in 2014-15 and 2015-16, focusing on the effects of sowing time and irrigation levels on wheat phenology, growth, and yield. The experiment used a strip plot design with four sowing dates—last week of October (D1), second week of November (D2), last week of December (D3), and fourth week of December (D4)—and four irrigation treatments: CRI (I1), CRI + Heading (I2), CRI + Jointing + Milking (I3), and CRI + Late Tillering + Heading + Milking (I4). Results indicated that delayed sowing increased the time to seedling emergence and tillering, but reduced the reproductive phases and maturity duration. Irrigation did not significantly affect seedling emergence but delayed heading, anthesis, and maturity. Growth parameters decreased with delayed sowing but improved with higher irrigation levels. The highest yield was observed with the CRI + Late Tillering + Heading + Milking (I4). Early sowing (before mid-November) combined with optimal irrigation practices significantly improved wheat yield, providing valuable insights for enhancing productivity in semi-arid regions under changing climatic conditions.