Water use and yield performance of durum wheat genotypes under supplemental irrigation and rainfed-based growth conditions

This study investigated the effects of supplemental irrigation on durum wheat genotypes during 2017-2018 and 2019-2020 at the Dicle University Faculty of Agriculture, Diyarbakir, T?rkiye. Dry conditions in 2017 and 2018, with low soil moisture and high temperatures during the heading stage, increased water demand during the generative period. However, in 2019-2020 there was higher rainfall than usual. The analysis revealed significant genotypic variability, particularly during the first year. Supplemental irrigation had a positive effect on plant height, leaf area index, normalized difference vegetation index, chlorophyll content, grain yield, test weight and kernel weight in both the years. The leaf area index, normalized difference vegetation index and chlorophyll content increased significantly with supplemental irrigation, especially during 2019-2020. Grain yield had a positive response in both years, with Cesare showing the highest increase (211.2%) in the first year and TBT16-7 showing the highest increase (39.4%) in the second year. The water use efficiency values followed this positive trend, with Hat-300 showing the highest values under both rainfed and irrigated conditions. Strong positive correlations were found between grain yield and various traits, providing insights into the adaptability and performance dynamics of durum wheat genotypes under different water conditions, which is essential for optimizing wheat production in arid regions. The Cesare, TBT16-7, and Frat-93 genotypes showed greater promise for the region than did the other varieties. The use of these varieties in agriculture should be expanded to increase overall production.