Evaluation of relevant areas of wheat cultivation with priority of reduction in water use in West Azerbaijan Province

In order to identify the relevant areas of wheat cultivation in the West Azarbayjan province, considering the economic costs, yield and water use efficiency (WUE) in various irrigation systems (such as traditional and modern methods), 17 counties (depending on the climatic conditions), 3 villages per county and fields of three farmers per village were visited, and the prepared questionnaires were completed and samples were taken in 2017. The measured traits from each field were included cost of production, production and net incomes, used water in traditional and modern irrigations, yield and water use efficiency in traditional and modern irrigation. The results showed that among the counties of the province, Naghadeh had the highest net income (64.56 million Rials/ ha) and yield (4986.67 kg/ ha) and Chaypareh had the highest water use efficiency in modern system of irrigation (2.2 kg/ m3) and the least amount of water used in both irrigation systems (traditional and modern) was shown in resistant cultivars of wheat. An increase of 106% to 152% of water use efficiency index was observed in Maku and Naghadeh in modern irrigation compared to traditional irrigation. Due to the lack of available water resources in the province, it seems that it is better to reducin area of cultivation and provide more of the available water resources to environment, especially Urmia Lake, instead of increasing the cultivation area. The relevant areas of wheat cultivation in the West Azarbayjan province were Naghadeh and Chaypareh cities.