Evaluating Yield and Morphological Traits Response of Some Millet Accessions to Stopping off Irrigation at Flowering Stage

To evaluate the response of 13 millet accessions to skip irrigation at terminal growth stage¡ two separate experiments based on randomized complete block design with three replications conducted at the Agricultural Research Center of Birjand¡ Iran¡ in 2005 and 2006. Irrigation was stopped in the first experiment at 10% flowering while irrigation was conducted as usual¡ in the second experiment once every 7 days. Combined analysis of variance showed that stopping at flowering time irrigation leads to reduction in all investigated traits¡ especially dry forage and grain yield. Accession numbers 15-143 (Southern Khorasan accession) and 15-24 (Yazd) produced highest grain and dry forage yield in both years and accession number 15-132 (Hamadan) had the lowest yield against all the others. According to the results of this study and considering the severe reduction of grain and dry forage yield recommending deficit irrigation treatment¡ at flowering would not be feasible at Birjand region. Also¡ number 15-131 (Southern Khorasan) accession had an acceptable grain yield and dry forage on both irrigation regimes.