WATER USE EFFICIENCY OF WHEAT AS AFFECTED BY AGROCLIMATE IN QANTRA, EGYPT

Wheat is one of the most important strategic crops in Egypt. It is noted in the recent period that the productivity of wheat in some areas of Egypt has been affected significantly by climate change so it must be overcome them by changing the planting dates and use wheat varieties suitable for each region. This experiment was carried out in El-Qantara Sharq area, Ismailia governorate, Egypt, during the winter seasons of 2014/2015and 2015/2016, at a private farm to study the effect of three applied irrigation water levels (IR_100,85,70%), four planting date (PD) (15^th October, 1^th November, 15^th November, 30^th November) and three wheat varieties (V) (Sakha 94, Gemmiza 7 and Misr 2) on yield production, crop quality parameters, actual evapotranspiration (ETa), water use efficacy (WUE) and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) for wheat bread (Triticum aestivum L.). The experimental design was a split-split plot design with three replicates. The results showed that, the studied quality parameters and yield production for wheat gave the highest values under IR=100%, PD= 15^th Nov. and Misr 2 variety treatment for both seasons. While, ETa gave the lowest values 167.67 and 161.43 mm for both seasons respectively, under IR= 70%, PD= 15^th Oct. and Misr 2 variety treatment. Moreover, the maximum values of wheat WUE and IWUE were 3.08 and 1.56 kg/m^3; 3.27 and 1.59 kg/m^3 for both seasons respectively, under IR=70% , PD= 1^th Nov. and Misr 2 variety treatment. This study concluded that the cultivation of wheat variety Misr 2 early on 1th Nov. under IR= 70% could be saved about 37% of added irrigation water versus yield reduction of wheat about 8 and 10% for both seasons respectively, compared to the control treatment (PD= 100% and 15^th Nov).