INFLUENCE OF IRRIGATION STRATEGY ON WATER USE AND YIELDS OF CORN (ZEA MAYS L.)

ABDUL WAHAB NAFIS AND L.C. HAMMOND

SUMMARY

An experiment was conducted in 1978 on a Lake Fine Sand (Typic Quartzipsamment, hyperthermic, coated). The objective was to determine the effect of irrigation strategy (frequency and quantity) on periodic water depletion rates for corn (Zea mays L.) and on irrigation water-use efficiency. Four water management treatments were applied: (1) control,no irrigation, (2) light, frequent irrigation, (3) medium, infrequent irrigation and (4) light, infrequent irrigation. Periodic water depletion rates were 10 to 200% higher in the irrigated plots compared to non-irrigated plots. Average corn grain yields were 2112, 7723, 7084 and 707l kg/ha for treatments (1), (2), (3) and (a) respectively. Th e yields from irrigated heatments were significantly higher than from the non-irrigated treatment at 1% probability level. Irrigation-use efficiencies based on corn grain yields were 220, 205 and 223kg/ha/cm for each of the treatments 2, 3 and 4

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