Soil moisture content, water use efficiency (WUE) and water productivity as influenced by different methods and levels of irrigation in baby corn (Zea maysL.) grown under polyhouse and open field condition

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out to study the effect of different methods and levels of irrigation on soil moisture content, water use efficiency (WUE) and water productivity of baby corn under polyhouse and open field conditions for consecutive two years (kharif 2013 and 2014). The experiment was laid out in split-plot design with irrigation methods such as surface and sub-surface drip irrigation under polyhouse and open condition as main plots and scheduling of irrigation based on Epan ratios of 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 as sub-plots. Gravimetric soil moisture content recorded at regular intervals varied significantly due to methods of irrigation at two different depths. It was significantly higher in surface method of irrigation at 0–15 cm depth and in sub-surface method of irrigation at 15–30 cm depth. Among levels, irrigation scheduled at 1.0 Epan recorded 21 and 20% higher moisture content over 0.6 Epan at 0–15 and 15–30 cm depth, respectively. Green cob and fodder yields were significantly higher in open field condition under sub-surface drip fertigation (12.28 and 58.99 t/ha, respectively) compared to surface drip fertigation. Under polyhouse condition, due to low light availability the yields were significantly less as baby corn being a C4 plant requires high light. The increase in water use efficiency and water productivity for economic yield under open field condition was 15.9 and 16.6% over polyhouse condition, respectively.