EFFECT OF BORON AND ETHEPHON IN GROWTH AND YIELD OF BREAD WHEAT

Abstract

The experiment was carried out at the farm of field of Crops Department, College of Agriculture, University of Baghdad during 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 seasons to study the effect of boron elements and ethephon on some growth characteristics and the yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Abu Ghraib-3 var. A split plot arrangement according to RCBD was used with four replications. The boron spray with three concentrations (50, 75 and 100) mg B.L^-1 in addition to control treatment (without boron) as a main plots, and the second factor was soaking of wheat seed with concentrations level of ethephon (1500, 2500 and 3500) mg.L^-1 in addition to control treatment (without soaking) as a sub plots. The results of showed that 100 mg B.L^-1 gave highest means for plant height (108.81 and 115.53) cm, crop growth rate (32.80 and 35.30) gm.m^-2. day^-1, number of grains per spike (47.44 and 48.58) grain.spike^-1, weight of 1000 grain (42.04 and 41.37) gm, grain yield (4.76 and 5.01)m ton.ha^-1, biological yield (12.15 and 12.57) ton.ha^-1, harvest index (39.19 and 39.89)%. In addition, the results showed that soak wheat seed with 3500 mg.L^-1 caused significant decrease in height plant (93.98 and 101.66) cm and this treatment (3500 mg.L^-1) gave highest means for number of tillers (505.29 and 519.06) tiller.m^-2, crop growth rate (33.44 and 35.78) gm.m^-2. day^-1, number of spikes (384.61 and 415.55) spike.m^-2, number of grains per spike (46.37 and 47.21) grain.spike^-1, grain yield (4.67 and 4.85) ton.ha^-1, biological yield (11.96 and 12.55) ton.ha^-1 and harvest index (39.01 and 38.61)% for both seasons, respectively. The interaction between 100 mg B.L^-1 and 3500 mg.L^-1 ethephon gave highest mean for crop growth rate (35.76 and 38.83) gm.m^-2. day^-1 for both seasons, respectively.