Hebron University College of Graduate Studies and Academic Research Adaptation of Agricultural Practices Toward Mitigating Drought Effects on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Production in Palestine By: Eyaas Mahmoud Abu-Rabada Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Rezq Basheer-Salimia This thesis is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Natural Resources and its Sustainable Management, College of Graduate Studies, Hebron University, Palestine. June 2021 I DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this thesis to: My great Mother The memory of my Father My dear wife My sweet daughter Elana My awesome sons Jaber and Abdur-Rahman My lovely sister and brothers. III ACKNOWLEDGMENT At the outset and in closing all thanks to Allah who guide me and help me in the whole of my life. Then I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation and gratitude to my supervisor and role model Prof. Dr. Rezq Basheer-Salimia for his devoted supervision, orientation and guidance. Also, with all my heart I would like to thank my great mother whose sacrifice made me the person who I am now and who will be tomorrow. Additionally, I would like to thank my wife and my children for their patience and understanding. Without the fabulous support and encouragement that I got from my family in the past few years, it would not be possible for me to step forward. I also thank all of my friends and colleagues (Abdur-Razeq Mohsen, Dr. Mohammad Al-Salimya, Hisham Ayyad, Mohammad Al-Amleh, Thaer Arqub and Hamza Brejeya) for their inspiration and consolidation. Moreover, I gratefully thank the Palestinian Agricultural Academic Cooperation (PAAC; NICHE-PAA, 233, project, NUFFIC, the Netherlands) for their partially financial support of this study. Finally, my gratitude extends to Hebron university that embrace a complementary competency and well-equipped facilities that provide the students a comfortable condition for education and innovation. For all of you … my thanks and gratitude. Eyaas Abu-Rabada. IV TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ........................................................................................................III ACKNOWLEDGMENT ......................................................................................... IV TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................... V List of tables ......................................................................................................... VIII List of figures ......................................................................................................... IX General abstract ........................................................................................................ X CHAPTER I: Literature Review ................................................................................ 1 1.1. Wheat: ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.1.1. Wheat origin: .......................................................................................................... 1 1.1.2. Wheat taxonomy: .................................................................................................... 1 1.1.3. Economical importance: ......................................................................................... 2 1.1.4. Wheat production and distribution: ........................................................................ 3 1.1.5. Environmental requirements: .................................................................................. 3 1.1.6. Life cycle: ............................................................................................................... 3 1.1.7. Yield and morphological performance: .................................................................. 4 1.2. Climate change and wheat: ........................................................................................ 6 1.2.1. Definition: ............................................................................................................... 6 1.2.2. Climate change effects and impacts: ...................................................................... 6 1.2.3. Future scenarios for climate change: ...................................................................... 7 1.2.4. Climate change in Palestine: ................................................................................... 8 1.2.5. Coping with climate changes: ................................................................................. 8 1.3. Tillage practices: ........................................................................................................ 9 1.3.1. Tillage importance and effects: ............................................................................... 9 1.3.2. Tillage types and tools: ........................................................................................... 9 1.4. Fertilizers: ................................................................................................................ 13 1.4.1. Definition and rational: ......................................................................................... 13 1.4.2. Fertilizers Importance and effects: ....................................................................... 13 1.4.3. Fertilizers types and application forms: ................................................................ 14 CHAPTER II. Study goals: .....................................................................................17 2.1. Goal of the first study: ............................................................................................. 17 V 2.2. Goal of the second study: ......................................................................................... 17 CHAPTER III. General Materials and Methods: ........................................................18 3.1. Site description: ....................................................................................................... 18 3.1.1. Location: ............................................................................................................... 18 3.1.2. Soil characteristics: ............................................................................................... 18 3.1.3. Climate: ................................................................................................................. 18 3.2. Plant materials, experimental design, and plantation: ............................................. 20 3.2.1. Tillage treatments: ................................................................................................ 20 3.2.2 Fertilization treatments: ......................................................................................... 22 3.3. Measured and evaluated parameters: ....................................................................... 22 3.4. Data analysis: ........................................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER IV: Adaptation of Tillage-Practices toward Mitigating Drought Effects on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Production in Palestine. ...............................................24 4.1. Abstract: ..........................................................................................................24 4.2. Introduction: .....................................................................................................24 4.3. Materials and methods: ......................................................................................25 4.3.1. Treatments: ........................................................................................................... 25 4.4. Results: ............................................................................................................26 4.5. Discussion: .......................................................................................................28 4.6. Conclusions: .....................................................................................................31 CHAPTER V: Effect of Different Tillage and Fertilization Interventions on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Production in Palestine ..........................................................32 5.1. Abstract: ...........................................................................................................32 5.2. Introduction: .....................................................................................................32 5.3. Materials and methods: ......................................................................................34 5.3.1. Treatments: ........................................................................................................... 34 5.4. Results: ............................................................................................................34 5.5. Discussion: .......................................................................................................38 VI 5.5.1. Climate: ................................................................................................................. 39 5.5.2. Production indicators: ........................................................................................... 39 5.6. Conclusions: .....................................................................................................43 CHAPTER VI: General Conclusions ........................................................................44 REFERENCES: .......................................................................................................45