EFFECTS OF MOISTURE STRESS AT EARLY HEADING AND OF NITROGEN FERTILIZER ON THREE SPRING WHEAT CULTIVARS

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Abstract
Three cultivars of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were grown at four levels of N fertilizer in metal lysimeters protected from rain by an automatic rain shelter. A soil water stress of 8 bars was developed in one-half of the lysimeters at the early boot stage. Water stress reduced yield by severely decreasing the number of kernels per spike. Tillering was not affected and kernel weight was increased. Pitic 62 withstood the high stress better than Manitou or Kenhi. N enhanced yield by increasing tillering. Kernel weight was unaffected by N, and the number of kernels per spike was decreased. Pitic, which had a higher number of kernels per spike, outyielded Manitou and Kenhi. The protein content of Manitou was higher than that of the other two cultivars. The cultivars differed in their reaction to soil water stress and N.