Effects of Irrigation and Nitrogen on Maize Growth and Yield Components

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of irrigation and nitrogen fertilization on maize growth and yield components. Three irrigation treatments were included, 100, 150, and 200 mm, and three nitrogen levels were applied as follows: high nitrogen was 240 kg ha−1, medium nitrogen was 180 kg ha−1, and low nitrogen was 120 kg ha−1. The results indicated that the interaction of nitrogen and irrigation has no significant effects on maize height, but the signal factor has a significant effect on plant height in the whole growth period. The changing trend of crop growth rate in the whole growth period was increasing first and then falling, and the CK treatment was always lower than other treatments. The maize growth rate was related to the nitrogen fertilizer level, and the positive relationship between nitrogen fertilizer level and growth rate. In single factor of fertilization, there was a negative correlation between units increased in yield and unit nitrogen. The interaction of nitrogen and irrigation has significant effects on biomass yield. The greatest yield-increasing potential was obtained in MF treatment. At the same irrigation level, the grain yield increased and had a most significant correlation relation with the harvest index. The population physiological indices of maize were increased with irrigation amount and fertilizer level, except the harvest index, and the incentive of population physiological indices in irrigation was higher than nitrogen fertilization. Therefore, MFHW treatment may be considered the most efficient for maize production in the rain-fed area of the Loess Plateau, China.