Evaluation of wheat genotypes under tillage practices: application of technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution method

Adoption of conservative agriculture at farm level is associated with reducing the production costs and leads to crop yield stability. The aim of this study was to prioritize experimental treatments based on different criteria by applying "technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution" (TOPSIS).A filed experiment was carried out at Zarghan research station, Fars province, Iran, during 2014-2016 growing seasons. Experimental treatments were three tillage practices including conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT) and no tillage (NT) that were assigned to main plots and four spring wheat genotypes (Chamran, Sirvan, Picaflor#1 and M-89-10)were randomized in subplots using split-plot arrangements in randomized complete block design with three replications. Selected criteria including two groups of economic- i.e. water cost, weed control cost, production cost and gross margin- and agronomic –i.e. grain yield and soil bulk density criteria used to prioritize the treatments. The weights of bulk density (0.040), grain yield (0.180), gross margin (0.280), water cost (0.0270), weed control cost (0.150), and production cost (0.080) was calculated. Results showed, considering all criteria to prioritize wheat genotypes under different tillage practices, that Sirvan and Picaflor#1 genotypes under RT practice could be the first treatments in 2014-15 and 2015-16 growing seasons, respectively. Therefore, the multiple criteriamethodshould be used for selection of the best tillage practices and wheat genotypes under tillage practices rather than a criterion such as grain yield or production cost.