Growth and development of maize ( Zea mays L.) in response to different field water management practices: Resource capture and use efficiency

Abstract

Soil–water supply is the main factor limiting crop production across the Loess Plateau in China. A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate three possible water management practices – film mulching (FM), supplementary irrigation (SI) and rain-fed (RF, control) – in terms of resource capture and use efficiency in maize ( Zea mays L.) in this area. The cumulative intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (PAR i), air thermal time (TT air), soil thermal time (TT soil) and evapotranspiration (ET) were monitored during both crop growing seasons, and the effects of the three treatments on the growth dynamics and grain yield (GY) of the maize crops were compared. The results showed that the FM treatment significantly accelerated development of the crop plants, and the SI treatment induced more rapid development in the vegetative stage than the RF treatment. Both FM and SI treatments markedly increased the shoot dry matter (DM) and GY ( p < 0.05). The cumulative PAR i, TT air and TT soil during the reproductive stage were all significantly increased by both the FM and SI treatments relative to the RF treatment ( p < 0.05), correlating well with observed increases in DM and GY. Both the FM and SI treatments also resulted in significantly higher ( p < 0.05) radiation use efficiency, and the FM treatment significantly increased the water use efficiency, by 23–25%, in both years ( p < 0.05). The results show that the tested water management practices have significant effects on soil moisture and thermal conditions, and hence the rates of growth and development of maize, in fields on the Loess Plateau, China.