DOI: https://doi.org/10.14456/jsat.2024.9
Abstract
Wheat production in Thailand is increasing due to rising domestic demand. Dual-purpose wheat cultivation, aimed at producing grain and stems for drinking straw manufacturing, has gained attention to enhance farmer income and promote sustainable practices. This study evaluated the effect of row spacing on yield potential (YP) yield components and stem qualities, including plant number (PN), spike number (SN), spike length (SL), thousand-grain weight (TGW), and stem qualities, specifically the diameter of the second internode (D2), length of the second internode (L2), stem hardness (Hs), and straw yield (SY) for drinking straw production. The experiment employed a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in 8 square meters plot sizes. Four-row spacings were tested: 15, 20 (conventional), 25, and 35 cm, with a seed rate of 125 kg/ha The findings indicated that row spacings of 20 cm and 25 cm yielded the highest values for YP (5,044,888 kg/ha), SN (309-308 spikes/m2), TGW (37.42-37.64 g), D2 (3.57-3.66 mm), and SY (1,580,000-1,740,000 straws/rai). These spacings also received the highest ratings in a farmer satisfaction survey. The findings suggest that 20-25 cm row spacings are optimal for dual-purpose wheat cultivation in Thailand, balancing grain yield and stem quality for sustainable production.
Keywords: wheat, dual-purpose cropping, row spacing, sustainable agriculture, straw
Received: November 11, 2024. Revised: December 5, 2024. Accepted: December 11, 2024.
