The effect of alternate furrow irrigation under different nutritional element supplies on some agronomic traits and seed qualitative parameters in corn (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

A new irrigation method under different nutritional element supplies for maize production was designed and tested for some agronomic traits and seed qualitative parameters with a split-plot field experiment. Irrigation was applied through furrows in three ways as the main plots: alternate furrow irrigation (AFI), fixed furrow irrigation (FFI), and conventional furrow irrigation (CFI). AFI means that one of the two neighboring furrows was alternately irrigated during consecutive watering. FFI means that irrigation was fixed to one of the two neighboring furrows. CFI was the conventional way where every furrow was irrigated during each watering. Each irrigation method was further divided into five sub-treatments with different fertilizer combinations: (1) P+N (control) (2) P+N+K (3) P+N+K+Zn (4) P+N+K+Zn+B (5) P+N+K+Zn+B+Fe. The results indicate that water stress effects caused by furrow irrigation on yield may be alleviated by more frequent irrigation intervals. We concluded that AFI is a way to save water in arid areas where maize production relies heavily on repeated irrigation. Fertilized combinations influenced dry matter partitioning to seed filling. Thus, sufficient both macro and micro nutritional elements increased harvest index which was mostly due to more number of seeds per row than higher individual grain weight. Complete fertilizer combination increased total above ground biomass through more radiation use efficiency and by increasing leaf area. In order to utilize the water sources efficiently and increase corn production under limited water supply, we propose the use of circular irrigation care along with instance, K, Zn, B and Fe fertilizer. Key words: Alternate furrow irrigation, corn (Zea mays L.), fertilizer combination,water stress.