Effect of Irrigation Canal Sediments, Humate Fertilizer and Irrigation Interval on Wheat Performance in Desert Soils

Abstract

A field study was conducted for two successive winter seasons; 2013/14 and 2014/15, at the Research Farm of the National Institute of Desert Studies (University of Gezira), New Hamdab Scheme, Northern State of Sudan. The objective was to investigate the effect of treatments interactions of application of irrigation canal sediments, humate fertilizer and irrigation interval on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth and yield attributes in high terrace soils. Treatments were arranged in a split-split plot design with four replicates. Application of irrigation canal sediments constituted three rates (0, 30 and 60 ton/ha), three rates of humate fertilizer were used (0, 2 and 4 kg/fed) and two levels of irrigation interval were imposed (10 and 15 days). The soil of the experimental site is characterized by high amount of sand and low chemical soil fertility and the climatic zone of the area is described as desert. The results showed significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) due to the interactions effect of these three factors on number of plants/m 2 , plant height, number of spikes/m 2 , number of seeds/spike, 1000-seeds weight, grain yield and straw yield for both seasons. Also, treatments interactions had highly significant effects (P ≤ 0.01) on number of tillers/m 2 and harvest index, and very highly significant differences (P ≤ 0.001) on biological yield of wheat in both seasons. The best combination of irrigation canal sediments, humate fertilizer and irrigation interval which gave the highest values of growth, yield and yield components of wheat for both seasons; except for number of plants/m 2 in the second season and straw yield in both seasons, was the interaction effect of application of 60 ton/ha irrigation canal sediments, 4 kg/fed humate fertilizer and 10 days irrigation interval.