Effects of Irrigation Regimes on Yield And Water Productivity of Proso Millet (Panicum Miliaceum L.) in Thrace Region Of Turkey

Abstract

A field study was carried out in order to determine the effect of deficit irrigation regimes on grains yield and seasonal evapotranspiration of proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) in Thrace Region of Turkey. The field trials were conducted on a loam Entisol soil, on Öğretmenoğlu, the most popular variety in the research area. A split plots experimental design with three replications was used. Combination of four well-known growth stages of the plant, namely vegetative (V), flowering (F) and yield formation (Y) were considered to form a total of eight (including rain-fed) irrigation treatments. The effect of irrigation and water stress at any stage of development on grain yield per hectare was evaluated. Results showed that proso millet was significantly affected by water stress during the sensitive flowering stage. The highest yield was obtained in VFY treatment. Seasonal irrigation water use and evapotranspiration were 318 and 579 mm, respectively, for the non-stressed treatment. Proso millet grain yield of this treatment was 4,09 t ha-1. The seasonal yield-water response factor value was 0,57 The total water use efficiency was 7,1 kg ha-1 mm-1. Irrigation Schedule of the non-stressed treatment may be as follow: the first irrigation is at the vegetative stage, when after 40-50 days from sowing, that is the and May; the second irrigation is at the flowering stage, after 75-85 days from sowing that is the first week of July; and the third irrigation is at the yield formation stage, that is the last week of July.