Soil Moisture Conservation and Irrigation Scheduling Effects on Wheat Growth, Water Use Efficiency, and Grain Yield

Abstract

An efficient irrigation schedule and moisture conservation are critical for ensuring higher wheat yields and resolving issues related to water scarcity in agriculture. In this research work, we tried to assess, in a quantitative manner, the impacts of optimizing irrigation scheduling and soil moisture conservation on wheat growth, water use efficiency, and grain yield. To achieve this objective, two types of irrigation techniques were used; namely, conventional irrigation and optimized irrigation along with moisture conservation methods. It was observed that the optimized irrigation schedule led to an increase in plant height from 89.3 to 103.8 cm, number of productive tillers by 25.6%, and biomass by 23.7%. Furthermore, the grain yield also increased from 4.86 to 6.42 t ha⁻¹ which corresponds to a 32.1% improvement as compared to conventional irrigation. Also, the total amount of irrigation water required reduced from 472 to 358 mm, thereby leading to a 24.2% reduction in water consumption. The water use efficiency also increased from 1.03 to 1.79 kg m⁻³, which is a 73.8% improvement.There is an improvement in yield per unit water usage ratio from 1:97 to 1:56 when using the optimal management system. This indicates better utilization of water. In conclusion, combining precision irrigation and soil moisture retention techniques leads to increased crop yield and reduced irrigation needs. Therefore, it is evident that sustainable irrigation management is a viable strategy for ensuring sustained wheat production under scenarios of insufficient water resources and changing climatic conditions. Precision irrigation practices will lead to food security and increased farm profitability.