Evaluation of Induced Microclimate Modification via Changing Planting Dates and/or Irrigation Methods on Maize Water Productivity in Two Locations in Egypt

Abstract

A field experiment was executed in2015 summer season, at Gemmeiza (Middle Nile Delta, Lat. 30.47, Long. 31.00) at El-Gharbia Governorate and Mallawi (Middle Egypt, Lat. 28.05 Long. 30.44) at El-Minia Governorate to find out the extent to which grain yield, water use and water productivity for SC10 maize hybrid were influenced by irrigation schemes and planting dates and itinteraction. Irrigation schemes (furrow and bed irrigation schemes) were combined with three planting dates (May, 15; May, 30 and June, 14), and assessed in Randomized Complete Block Design andarranged in split plot design. Irrigation schemes were tested in main plots, while the split plots were assigned to planting dates, and each treatment was replicated three times. The important findings could be summarized as follows: * Maize grain yield at Gemmeiza location insignificantly increased thatatMallawi location. The adopted irrigation schemes significantly influenced the grain yield, and furrow irrigation surpassed bed furrow irrigation by 9.15%. Maize grain yield was significantly influencedby planting dates, whereplanting on May, 15 was superior, and the grain yield was increased by 3.77 and 7.42%, comparable with May, 30 and June, 14 planting dates, respectively. * The highest consumptive use (CU) value (600.5 mm) was recorded under Mallawi conditions, which exceeded that under Gemmeiza by 17.86%. Such findings are mainly attributable to prevailing weather conditions during the growing season, which encourages higher crop water use under Mallawi conditions. Water use value under furrow irrigation scheme was higher by 22.24% more than that with bed irrigation. The lowest CU value (542.3 mm) was found for May, 15 planting date, and increased by 2.34 and 4.79%,respectively, comparable withMay, 30 and June, 14 planting dates. *Water productivity (WP) value proved that maize plants, under Gemmeiza conditions, used the irrigation water efficiently by 10.74%, higher than that recorded under Mallawi conditions. Bed irrigation scheme exhibited higher WP value than that recorded with furrow irrigation scheme by 5.15%. The highest WP value (7.74 kgfad-1mm-1) resulted from May, 15 planting date, and delaying the planting date to May, 30 or June, 14 caused reductions in WP values being13.05 and 17.05%, respectively, lower than that with May, 15 planting date. Based on the obtained results, maize production at Gemmeiza (Middle Nile Delta, Lat. 30.47 Long. 31.00), compared with Mallawi (Middle Egypt, Lat. 28.05 Long. 30.44) is preferred due to lower water use and higher water productivity as well.