Mitigate Environmental Stress and Enhance Crop Productivity
Rania S. Shehata
Department of Biology, College of Science, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia.
Hanan Moawad
Department of Biology, College of Science, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia.
Hanan Z. Amer
Department of Biology, College of Science, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia.
Syed A. Hasan
Department of Biology, College of Science, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia.
Rehab A. Dawoud *
Department of Biology, College of Science, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Saudi Arabia.
Amira A. Kasem
Department of Soils, Water and Environment Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Egypt.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted during the wheat-growing season on a clay-loam soil to investigate the interaction between irrigation management, sowing dates, and winter wheat productivity. A split-plot design tested three planting dates (PD₁: 15 November, PD₂: 30 November, PD₃: 15 December) and three irrigation levels (Irr₁: five irrigations, Irr₂: four, Irr₃: three irrigations). Results revealed that early sowing (PD₁) under full irrigation (Irr₁) maximized grain yield (6.8 tons/ha) and 1000-grain weight (49.3 g) but required the highest water applied (5,608 m³/ha). Conversely, PD₃ with reduced irrigation (Irr₃) conserved water (3,282 m³/ha) but incurred yield penalties (4.6 t/ha grain). Critically, PD₂ under Irr₂ achieved 94% of PD₁’s yield with 18% less water, highlighting its viability for balancing productivity and sustainability. Water productivity (WP) improved under water-saving strategies, with PD₃Irr₃ yielding the highest WP (1.41 kg/m³). The findings underscore that planting date (mid-November) is more suitable for yield than maximal irrigation, offering actionable strategies for farmers in water-scarce regions to enhance climate resilience while safeguarding food security.
Keywords: Planting dates, wheat grain yield, water productivity, water applied, irrigation levels