The Effects of Irrigation Intervals on Yield, Yield Components and Water Use Efficiency of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.)

Abstract

The effects of irrigation intervals on yield, yield components and water use efficiency of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), was evaluated during the growing season of 2015 under field conditions at the Research Station of the Faculty of Agriculture, Iranshahr branch, Islamic Azad University, Iran. Irrigation and organic manure as organic fertilizer were employed within a split-plot design with three replications. Irrigation intervals were applied at three intervals of 7, 14 and 21 days, which were allocated to the main plots and five levels of fertilizer were allocated to the subplots. Results showed that irrigation intervals had significant effects on the number of capsules per plant, number of seeds per capsule, number of seeds per plant, seed weight per plant, seed yield, biological yield and harvest index (HI), but there was no significant effect on weight of 1000 seeds. The results showed that 14 day interval treatments and 21 day interval treatments with 708.56 and 621.75 kg/ha Sepal dry and 0.12 and 0.10 kg/m3 had the lowest and highest yield and water use efficiency, respectively. It seems that due to the lack of water in the area, treatment of 14 days irrigation interval registered highest Roselle Sepal production in Iranshahr, Southeastern of Iran.