Competition of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rye (Secale cereale) under different levels of soil salinity using replacement series experiment

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Former Graduate Student, Dept. of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand

2 Assoc. Prof., Dept. of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Birjand

Abstract

Agricultural production in arid and semi-arid regions always is affected by soil salinity and weeds competition. In order to study the effect of soil salinity on competition between wheat and rye, a factorial replacement series experiment based on completely randomized design with 3 replications was conducted in research greenhouse of faculty of Agriculture, at University of Birjand, in 2012. Four different ratios of wheat-rye (100-0, 75-25, 50-50, 25-75, 0-100 percentage) and 4 levels of soil salinity (2, 4, 8 and 16 dS.m-1) were used as experimental factors. The results indicated significant (P<0.01) effect of salinity on dry matters of wheat and rye. Increasing soil salinity from 2 to 16 dS.m-1 decreased 84% and 90% of the dry matter of rye and wheat, respectively. Competitive ability were more at salinity levels of 2 and 4 dS.m-1 in rye and 8 and 16 dS.m-1 in wheat. Investigation of competition by several indices indicated that increasing of salinity level can decrease competitive ability of rye versus wheat.

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