PATH COEFFICIENT ANALYSIS OF TWO WHEAT VARIETIES (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF MAGNETIZED IRRIGATION WATER.

A field experiment was carried out during the winter season 2017-2018 in one of the agricultural fields of kteban area (15) km East of Basrah city. The study aimed to evaluate the performance of two varieties of wheat crop (Iraq and Babylon-113) under the influence of four levels of magnetization intensity of irrigation water (0, 1500, 2000 and 2500) Gauss. According to a randomized complete block design (RCBD), the field experiment was carried out with three replications. The variety Iraq outperformed, registering the highest average for plant height, tillers number m2, spikes number m-2 number of grains spike^-1, grain yield kg. ha^-1 reached (92.32 cm, 471.10 tillers. m², 457.90 spikes. m², 55.18 grains spikes^-1, and 4558.0 kg. ha^-1) respectively, while the variety Babylon^-113 surpassed by giving the highest weight of 1000 grains of 38.44 g. The intensity of magnetization of irrigation water affected the intensity (2500) Gauss by giving the highest average of plant height, tillers number m², spikes number. m², number of grains of spike^-1, 1000 grains weight, and grain yield were (96.72 cm, 515.8 tillers m², 502.7 spikes m², 54.46 grains spike^-1, and 5374.0 kg. ha^-1) respectively. While the effect of interaction between varieties and magnetization intensity of irrigation water has a significant impact, as the variety Iraq surpassed at magnetization intensity at 2500 Gauss, recording the highest average of plant height, tillers number m², number of spikes m², number of grains spike^-1, and grain yield reached (100.27 cm, 542.7 tillers. m², 527.3 spikes. m², 63.52 grains. spike^-1 and 5574.0 kg. ha^-1), respectively. The use of irrigation water magnetization technique led to a decrease in irrigation water salinity and an increase in nutrient readiness, thus increasing the yield components and increasing grain yield. The existence of a positive and high significant correlation between the yield of seeds, plant height, tillers number m^-2 spikes number m^-2 and grains number per spike^-1 is reached (0.875 **, 0.942 **, 0.935 ** and 0.717 **), respectively, as shown. The results of the path coefficient analysis are that the two attributes of spikes number of m^-2 and grains number of spike^-1 are the two most influential characteristics in grain yield of the wheat crop, which can be used as electoral guides in the subsequent breeding programs to increase the grain yield for this crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]