Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Effect of Irrigation Scheduling and Nitrogen Rates on Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Corn in Guilan Province
2
Department of Agriculture, Islamic Azad University, Lahijan Branch, Lahijan, Iran;
3
Department of Irrigation, Islamic Azad University, Shoushtar Branch, Shoushtar, Iran;
Abstract
In order to study the effects of irrigation interval and nitrogen rates on yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of maize (Zea mays L) using KSC704 maize hybrid, an experiment was conducted in agricultural research farm of Lahidjan, Guilan, north of Iran, using split plot in randomized complete block design with three replications, during 2010. The main plots were three irrigation regimes including rainfed and irrigation intervals of 6 and 12 days. The sub-plots were five nitrogen rates consisting of 0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 kg N/ha. The results indicated that the effects of irrigation, nitrogen, and their interaction on grain yield, biomass, biomass WUE, and seed yield WUE were significant at α=1%. The highest biomass WUE and grain yield WUE were 6.82 and 2.92 kg/m3, obtained from application of, respectively, 180 and 240 kg N/ha-1 under rainfed conditions. Higher rates of nitrogen and application of irrigation led to increase in seed yield and biomass, but, differences between irrigation intervals of 6 and 12 days and N180 and N240 fertilizers treatments were not significant. The lowest grain yield and biomass were observed in rainfed condition with no N application. Stomata conductivities were significantly higher in the 6-day irrigation interval. The lowest relative water content belonged to rainfed treatment.
Keywords
)