Abstract
PurposeDeclining water resources, increasing drought period and increasing irrigated area cause a shift to deficit irrigated production which is not based on full water requirement. This study was conducted to investigate the impacts of two different deficit irrigation methods, including traditional deficit irrigation (TDI) and partial root-zone drying (PRD) on water use efficiency (WUE) in corn cultivations located at the lands close to the Shahrekord wastewater treatment plant.MethodsA factorial design was employed, consisted of fifteen treatments and three replications. The first factor was three water applications, including 60, 80 and 100 (control) percent of plant water requirement. The second factor was three water sources, including 100% fresh water (FW), 50% water and 50% wastewater (5050), 100% wastewater (WW). T-Tape irrigation type system was used for irrigation of corn (Zea mays L.). The third factor was water management in three levels: full irrigation (FI), PRD and TDI.ResultsThe result showed that dry and fresh weight, leaf area index (LAI), dry biomass percentage and WUE were affected by water requirement at 5% probability level expect of height plant that is affected at 1% probability level. Water quality was affected on all the study indicators of corn plant expect of WUE. WUE among PRD by deficit irrigation treatments were higher than TDI and it was the minimum in FI. The dry and wet weight and LAI were maximum at FI and then PDR80 than TDI80. The height of corn plants were high at FI and TDI80 than PRD80.ConclusionFinally, wastewater application in treatment named 5050-PRD80 and 5050-TDI80 compensated water deficit in WUE, LAI and dry biomass percentage. PRD method recognized more suitable than TDI for corn plants.
Highlights
Water shortage is assumed as major agricultural production constraint
The result showed that dry and fresh weight, leaf area index (LAI), dry biomass percentage and water use efficiency (WUE) were affected by water requirement at 5% probability level expect of height plant that is affected at 1% probability level
After full irrigation (FI) technique, corn plant that irrigated by PRD80 method has the bigger dry and fresh weight, Dry biomass percentage (DBP) and WUE than traditional deficit irrigation (TDI)
Summary
Water shortage is assumed as major agricultural production constraint. the relationship between crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE) has constantly been the focus of many agricultural researchers in the arid and semiarid regions (Zhang and Oweis 1999).In all agricultural systems, low WUE can occur when soil evaporation is high (considering crop evapotranspiration), early growth rate is slow, and water application does not correspond to crop demand and when shallow roots are unable to utilize deep water in the soil profile (Gallardo et al 1996). Water shortage is assumed as major agricultural production constraint. The relationship between crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE) has constantly been the focus of many agricultural researchers in the arid and semiarid regions (Zhang and Oweis 1999). Low WUE can occur when soil evaporation is high (considering crop evapotranspiration), early growth rate is slow, and water application does not correspond to crop demand and when shallow roots are unable to utilize deep water in the soil profile (Gallardo et al 1996). New innovations are important in waterscarce regions with the aim of saving irrigation water, and thereby increasing crop WUE (Gencoglan et al 2006). One way is to develop new irrigation scheduling techniques such as traditional deficit irrigation (TDI), which are not necessarily based on full water requirement
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
