Effect of Different Type of Mulching and Furrow Irrigation Methods on Maize (Zea mays L.) Yield and Water Productivity at Raya Valley, Northern Ethiopia

Ahmmed Mehamed

doi:10.7176/jbah/9-20-02

Abstract

Mulching with different irrigation practices is one of the techniques to improve soil productivity and water use efficiency. The increasing demand of water in the region highlights the need to introduce low-input and water saving technologies for agricultural sustainability and crop production, mainly in semi-arid region. The experiment was conducted at the research station of Mehoni Agricultural Research Centre (MehARC) in the Raya Valley, Northern Ethiopia, conducted during 2017-18 and aiming to evaluate the effect of mulch types on yield and water productivity, to determine the effect of furrow methods on yield and water productivity and to analyze and evaluate different techniques that enhance water productivity of maize yield. The experiment was laid out in a split plot design and consisting of three types of furrow irrigation methods (alternate, fixed and conventional furrow irrigation methods) in the main plot and two mulch types and no mulch with three replications were used as two factors to evaluate the yield and yield component including water use efficiency of maize in split-plot design. Different types of irrigation method and mulching types were significantly (p<0.05) affected all the studied parameters of yield and yield components of maize at the study site. Significantly a higher maize grain yield and yield component was recorded from conventional furrow irrigation method than alternate and fixed furrow irrigation method and higher water productivity was obtained from alternate furrow irrigation method. The study area water is a limiting factor and alternate furrow irrigation method could be practiced with plastic mulch for improving maize grain yield and water productivity. Keywords: Irrigation method, Maize, Mulching and Water Productivity. DOI : 10.7176/JBAH/9-20-02 Publication date :October 31 st 2019

Highlights

Agriculture is the main water-consuming sector worldwide (Biswas, 1997), which accounts 70 percent of all water withdrawn from aquifers, streams and lakes (FAO, 2011).The global expansion of irrigated areas to feed the ever-increasing population and the limited availability of irrigation water is not balanced at different part of the world
Description of the experimental site The experiment was conducted at the research station of Mehoni Agricultural Research Centre (MehARC) in the Raya Valley, Northern Ethiopia, located 668 Km from the capital Addis Ababa and about 120 Km south of Mekelle, the capital city of Tigray regional state
The CROPWAT model revealed that the total net of irrigation water determined in mm for each treatment (CFI, AFI and FFI) were 515.2, 274.4, and 274.40 mm respectively during the entire growth of the crop as it was determined from multiplication of total available water (TAW) and depletion fraction (p=55%)

Summary

Introduction

Agriculture is the main water-consuming sector worldwide (Biswas, 1997), which accounts 70 percent of all water withdrawn from aquifers, streams and lakes (FAO, 2011).The global expansion of irrigated areas to feed the ever-increasing population and the limited availability of irrigation water is not balanced at different part of the world. Limited water resources and increasing water demand for industrial and urban settlements have caused decreases in the quantity and quality of agricultural water use (Osman et al, 2001). Mulching is the practice of covering the soil around plants to make conditions more favorable for growth, development and efficient crop production (Nagalakshmi et al, 2002). Mulches are used for the moderation of soil temperature, through the effects were highly variable. Uses of straw and similar material mulches in different vegetable crops have greater insulating effect than pulverized soil mulch

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Results