Evaluation of the effect of nitrogen nutrition on the water productivity of some varieties of durum wheat

Abstract

Durum wheat needs energy to accomplish the main metabolic and physiological functions; this energy is provided mainly by nitrogen which is also a fundamental constituent of the plant. Despite its importance and because of its high solubility, nitrogen is classified as a potential pollutant for the environment. The objective of this work is to study the response of four varieties of durum wheat (Karim, Razzak, INRAT100 and Dhahbi) to nitrogen treatment. The results showed that the new variety (Dhahbi) gave highest yield and water use efficiency either with or without fertilization thanks to the impact of genetic improvement. Thus, it is recommended to plant the Dhahbi variety to limit the use of nitrogen fertilizers, protect the environment and maximize gross income, especially for small farmers.