Susceptibility of wheat to water deficit at three growth stages

Abstract

The grain yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to different water deficit levels at three stages of growth was obtained from field measurements conducted at the Aahmadu Bello University Farm, Samaru-Zaria. Also, the suitability of a time-based characterisation of water deficit for crop susceptibility determination was tested against a plant-based one. The plant-based measure of crop water stress, as caused by water deficit, was calculated as the product of relative evapotranspiration deficit and the duration. The crop susceptibility was the relative grain yield reduction due to a given crop water stress.