Water Use and Seasonal Differences in Maize Performance in the Transitional Humid Zone of Nigeria

Abstract

ABSTRACT Maize (Zea mays) was grown in four consecutive (wet and dry) seasons in two years at the experimental fields of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria. Water use of maize and yield responses in the humid forest-Savanna transition zone of Nigeria were assessed using drainage lysimeters which were irrigated daily depending on the evaporative demand of the atmosphere. Results show significant differences (p < 0.01) in water use, yields and yield components between the seasons and the years. Seasonal averages of water used from sowing to harvest were 363 mm and 271 mm for the wet and dry seasons, respectively. These are equivalent to mean water use efficiency (WUE) of 122 g and 176 g of water per gram dry matter for the wet and dry seasons, respectively. Significant yield differences were recorded between the wet (7.6 t ha−1) and dry (3.8 t ha−1) seasons and between the first (6.6 t ha−1) and second (4.8 t ha−1) years, respectively. Also, the lysimeter surfaces gave superior maize yields when compared to the rain-fed plots. Two years average lysimeter yields were 9.1 t ha−1 and 4.3 t ha −1 for the wet and dry seasons, respectively, compared to rain-fed plots yields of 5.6 and 3.3 tonnes ha−1 during the same period. The result shows a significant yield response irrespective of the season, to increased water input from higher rainfall amount, distribution or supplementary irrigation.