Field experiment on durum wheat, carried out in Valenzano (Bari), aims to evaluate resources use efficiency (water, nitrogen and radiation) under three water (rainfed, 50% and full irrigation) and two nitrogen (0 and 120 kg/ha) regimes and to determine carbon dioxide and water vapour exchange at canopy scale. The effects of N supply on wheat growth and development were much more evident than those of water due to high precipitation (395 mm) distributed almost regularly during the growing season. Water stress has become severe only during the dough maturity stage and it does not cause significant biomass and yield reduction. Positive effects of N were: increased LAI, maintenance of green canopy duration, higher biomass and yield that resulted in improved radiation and water use efficiencies.
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Gas exchange data (carbon and water vapour) at canopy scale obtained from canopy chamber measurements, confirm the findings obtained from traditional measurements.
