Yield and water use of paired-row versus equidistant-row seeded spring wheat in a semiarid environment

Abstract

A field study was carried out to determine the effects of seed row configuration on days to maturity, water use and grain yield of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. ’Leader’) grown in a semiarid environment. From 1986 to 1989, Leader spring wheat was seeded at Swift Current, Saskatchewan in north-south equidistant-rows (25-cm row spacing) and paired-rows (two rows 10 cm apart with 50 cm between the centre of each paired row). Seed and fertilizer were applied at recommended rates for the Brown soil zone. There were no significant differences (P > 0.10) in grain yield, water use or days to maturity between equidistant-row and paired-row seeding. The data suggest that under the environmental conditions of the Brown soil zone paired-row seeding may have no agronomic advantage over equidistant-row seeding.Key words: Paired-row seeding, water use, grain yield, spring wheat