Growth dynamics of newly released wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes under late and very late sown irrigated conditions in Chhattisgarh plain

Abstract:

A field experiment entitled “Growth Dynamics of Newly Released Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Genotypes under Late and Very Late Sown Irrigated Conditions in Chhattisgarh Plain” was conducted during Rabi 2024–25 at the Instructional-cum-Research Farm, Barrister Thakur Chhedilal College of Agriculture and Research Station, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with three replications, comprising two sowing dates as main plot treatments, viz., D₁ (6 December; late sown) and D₂ (24 December; very late sown), and seven newly released wheat genotypes as subplot treatments: V₁ [CG 1029(c)], V₂ [MP 4010(c)], V₃ (GW 556), V₄ (WSM 138), V₅ [HI 1634(c)], V₆ (DBW 425), and V₇ [HD 2932(c)]. Growth parameters including number of tillers m⁻², dry matter accumulation, crop growth rate (CGR), and relative growth rate (RGR) were recorded at different growth stages.

The results revealed that late sowing (D₁) significantly enhanced crop growth compared with very late sowing (D₂). Maximum CGR values were observed during the 60–90 DAS period under D₁ (0.5152 g plant⁻¹ day⁻¹) compared to D₂ (0.4190 g plant⁻¹ day⁻¹), indicating superior biomass production under timely sowing. Dry matter accumulation increased progressively with crop age and attained the highest values at harvest. Among the genotypes, CG 1029(c) (V₁) recorded the highest dry matter accumulation (25.17 g plant⁻¹ at harvest), maximum tiller density (292.95 tillers m⁻² at harvest), and superior crop growth rate across growth stages. Relative growth rate was highest during the early growth period (0–30 DAS) and declined with crop advancement in all genotypes. CG 1029(c) (V₁) exhibited the highest RGR during the initial growth stage (0.0239 g g⁻¹ day⁻¹), followed closely by GW 556 (V₃). In contrast, MP 4010(c) (V₂) and HI 1634(c) (V₅) recorded comparatively lower values for most growth parameters.

The study demonstrated that late sowing on 6 December provided a more favorable environment for wheat growth than very late sowing on 24 December. Among the evaluated genotypes, CG 1029(c) showed superior growth performance in terms of tillering ability, biomass accumulation, CGR, and RGR, followed by GW 556, suggesting their suitability for late and very late sown irrigated conditions of the Chhattisgarh Plain.