EFFECT OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF IRRIGATION ON YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF WHEAT CULTIVARS

A field study pertaining to the effect of different levels of irrigation on yield and yield components of wheat cultivars was conducted during 2005-2006 growing season at Agronomic Research Area, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (31 degrees.25N, 73 degrees.09E). Treatments were three cultivars (AS-2002, SH-2002, Aqab-2000), and five irrigation levels I-1 (irrigation at crown root stage), (I-2 (irrigation at crown root + tillering), I-3 (irrigation at crown root + tillering + booting), I-4 (irrigation at crown root + tillering + booting + anthesis), and I-5 (irrigation at crown root + tillering + booting + anthesis + milking). Wheat cultivar AS-2002 recorded highest grain yield (4821.5 kg ha(-1)) which was significantly higher than the other two cultivars. Wheat crop supplied with five irrigations at crown root + tillering + booting + earing + milking recorded the highest grain yield (5696.8 kg ha(-1)) which was significantly higher than all the other irrigation levels. At highest irrigation level I-5, cultivars AS-2002 and SH-2002 produced grain yield at par but significantly higher than Aqab-2000. At all the other irrigation levels, cultivar AS-2002 recorded significantly higher grain yield than the other two cultivars.