open access

Submitted: 2025-05-02
Crop Production and Environment
Published: 2025-05-02

Effects of seeding rate on growth parameters and yield components of soft wheat in a no-till system in the Saïs area of Morocco

Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, National School of Agriculture in Meknes, Morocco
Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, National School of Agriculture in Meknes, Morocco
Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, National School of Agriculture in Meknes, Morocco
Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, National School of Agriculture in Meknes, Morocco
Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, National School of Agriculture in Meknes, Morocco
West Marocain Domain, El Hajeb, Morocco

Abstract

Cereals are the main basic commodity in Morocco. Yields are affected by various farming factors, among them tillage and seeding rates. Because of the changes in rainfall amounts and trends, farmers started, many farmers have switched to no-till systems as a conservation measure, many farmers are still adopting high seeding rates, often exceeding 200 kg.ha-1, in an attempt to maximize yields. The present study aims to evaluates the effect of seeding rates on growth parameters, yield components and economic returns of soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under a no-till system in the Saïs area in Meknes (Morocco). The trial was conducted during the 2023/24 agricultural season at the Experimental Farm of the National Agriculture School of Meknes during the 2023/24 agricultural season. Four seeding rates: 80 (T1), 120 (T2), 160 (T3), and 200(T4) kg.ha-1, were arranged in a randomized complete block experiment design with four replications. The 2023-24 season was considered a drought season with only 409 mm. After emergence, the higher seeding rates T4, achieved a density of 499 plants/m² at the one shoot stage, followed by T3 (387 plants/m²), T2 (387 plants/m²) and T1 (222 plants/m²). At tillering stage, the highest stem density (734 stems/m²) was recorded for (T4), but this density decreased to 364 stems/m² at heading, with a stem mortality rate of 27% across all the cycle. In contrast, the lowest seeding rate of (T1) maintained an average of 0.5 tillers/plant. Plant height varied significantly across growth stages, with the T1 treatment exhibiting the tallest plant height at 71.7 cm by the end of the growing season, while the T4 treatment was the shortest at 33.5 cm, highlighting the impact of competition on growth. The total dry matter per plant was highest for T1, reaching 5.0 g, compared to 2.0 g for T4. Spike density was significantly influenced by seeding rate, with T4 yielding an average of 364 spikes per square meter, whereas T1 produced 269 spikes/m². Chlorophyll content varied among treatments, with the 120 kg/ha seeding rate showing the highest value (39.1 µg/cm²), while the 200 kg/ha treatment had the lowest (33.5 µg/cm²). Grain yields were 30.5 cw/ha (quintal/ha) for T1, 31.4 cw/ha (quintal/ha) for T2, 28.4 cw/ha (quintal/ha) for T3, and 31.0 cw/ha (quintal/ha) for T4. Biological yields were 50.5 cw/ha (quintal/ha) for T1, 51.2 cw/ha (quintal/ha) for T2, 50.4 cw/ha (quintal/ha) for T3, and 54.7 cw/ha (quintal/ha) for T4. The economic analysis revealed that, despite the increased competition at higher seeding rates, the 200 kg/ha treatment offered the highest net returns, primarily due to the elevated price of straw during the drought season, which compensated for the lower grain yield per plant.

Keywords: seeding rate, no-till, soft wheat, growth parameters, grain yield, Morocco