Investigating effects of deficit irrigation levels and fertilizer rates on water use efficiency and productivity based on field observations and modeling approaches

Investigating the effects of optimized fertilizer and irrigation levels on water use efficiency productivity wheat crop at small farms is great importance for precise sustainable agriculture in Pakistan's irrigated areas. However, traditional farmer practices production are inefficient unsustainable. This study aimed to investigate deficit nitrophos bread grain yield, yield parameters, nutrient efficiencies bed planting compared farmers' flat sowing method. The two-year field experiment followed a randomized complete block design three replications, taking treatments according requirement estimated by CROPWAT model (100% ETC), (80% 60% ETC (farmer practice 120 kg N ha-1, 96 84 ha-1) different growth stages. Crop was calculated using FAO 8.0 from last ten years (2003-2013) average climate data experimental station. treatment included as control with method other sown-by-bed planter treatments. All were provided an equivalent amount basal dose. Before first second irrigation, top-dressing used third leaf tillering It applied before first, second, leaf, shooting stages, respectively, under level ETc) (96 showed optimum use, efficiencies, 20% reduced than farming practice. results suggest that should be 80% ha-1 tillering, stages achieve higher planting.