Effect of Limited Irrigation on Water Consumption and Grain Yield of Spring Maize (Zea Mays)

Abstract:

The soil water contents in spring maize field were monitored continuously using soil neutron probe combined with drying-weighing method. Meanwhile, the effect of limited irrigation on crop periodic water consumption and its percentage in total water use, leaf area index, and grain yield of spring maize were explored. The results indicated that both the periodic water consumption and its percentage in total water use varied from low to high then to low within maize growing season, with the maximum valued both at silking to middle grain filling. In addition, leaf area indexes were greatly improved by full irrigation before maize filling, and grain yield was not reduced by efficient limited irrigation management, contrarily, yield increase and 31.1% of significant irrigation water saving were achieved, which was beneficial to the optimization of soil water ecological processing and limited irrigation management.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 404)
• Pages: 415-419
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.404.415
• Online since: September 2013
• Authors: Heng Jia Zhang, Jun Hui Li
• Keywords: Grain Yield, Leaf Area Index, Limited Irrigation, Spring Maize, Water Consumption

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