Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

N. Schahbazian and R. Gretzmacher:

Improving the productivity of winter wheat in Iran through rotation of wheat, fallow, soybean and alfalfa and manuring

Summary

The effect of preceding crops on succeeding winter wheat was tested on a rendzic leptosol, 90 km west of Teheran (altitude 1350 m, rainfall 370 mm, average annual temperature 13.6°C). In 1993/94 and 1994/95 the field was maintained twice under fallow and planted with winter wheat, alfalfa, soybean or left fallow in 1995/96. Winter wheat was planted as the test crop in 1996/97 on all plots, with 0 or 5 t per hectar manure in a split plot arrangement in four replications, Both manure and rotation significantly and positively influenced winter wheat grain yield and yield components. Yields were 1.86, 2.75, 4.08 and 4.83 t/ha with manure and 1.49, 2.09, 3.13 and 4.10 t/ha without manure, when followed fallow, winter wheat, soybean or alfalfa respectively. Key words:  Wheat, crop rotation, soybean, alfalfa, Iran.