The effect of tillage practices on grain yield and water use efficiency

Achieving optimal balance between maize yield and water use efficiency is an important challenge for irrigation maize production in arid areas. In this study, we conducted an experiment in Xinjiang China in 2016 and 2017 to quantify the response of maize yield and water use to plant density and irrigation schedules. The treatments included four irrigation levels: 360 (W1), 480 (W2), 600 (W3), and 720 mm (W4), and five plant densities: 7.5 (D1), 9.0 (D2), 10.5 (D3), 12.0 (D4), and 13.5 plants m−2 (D5). The results showed that increasing the plant density and the irrigation level could both significantly increase the leaf area index (LAI). However, LAI expansion significantly increased evapotranspiration (ETa) under irrigation. The combination of irrigation level 600 mm (W3) and plant density 12.0 plants m−2 (D4) produced the highest maize yield (21.0–21.2 t ha−1), ETa (784.1–797.8 mm), and water use efficiency (WUE) (2.64–2.70 kg m−3), with an LAI of 8.5–8.7 at the silking stage. The relationship between LAI and grain yield and evapotranspiration were quantified, and, based on this, the relationship between water use and maize productivity was analyzed. Moreover, the optimal LAI was established to determine the reasonable irrigation level and coordinate the relationship between the increase in grain yield and the decrease in water use efficiency.

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Increase maize productivity and water use efficiency through application of potassium silicate under water stress

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-80656-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

M. A. Gomaa ◽

Essam E. Kandil ◽

Atef A. M. Zen El-Dein ◽

Mamdouh E. M. Abou-Donia ◽

Hayssam M. Ali ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Deficit ◽

Water Use ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Foliar Application ◽

Potassium Silicate ◽

Water Deficit Stress ◽

Maize Productivity ◽

Use Efficiency

AbstractIn Egypt, water shortage has become a key limiting factor for agriculture. Water-deficit stress causes different morphological, physiological, and biochemical impacts on plants. Two field experiments were carried out at Etay El-Baroud Station, El-Beheira Governorate, Agriculture Research Center (ARC), Egypt, to evaluate the effect of potassium silicate (K-silicate) of maize productivity and water use efficiency (WUE). A split-plot system in the four replications was used under three irrigation intervals during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. Whereas 10, 15, and 20 days irrigation intervals were allocated in main plots, while the three foliar application treatments of K-silicate (one spray at 40 days after sowing; two sprays at 40 and 60 days; and three sprays at 40, 60, and 80 days, and a control (water spray) were distributed in the subplots. All the treatments were distributed in 4 replicates. The results indicated that irrigation every 15 days gave the highest yield in both components and quality. The highly significant of (WUE) under irrigation every 20 days. Foliar spraying of K-silicate three times resulted in the highest yield. Even under water-deficit stress, irrigation every fifteen days combined with foliar application of K-silicate three times achieved the highest values of grain yield and its components. These results show that K-silicate treatment can increase WUE and produce high grain yield requiring less irrigation.

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Low contribution of photosynthesis and water-use efficiency to improvement of grain yield in Chinese wheat

Photosynthetica ◽

10.1007/s11099-015-0147-9 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 53 (4) ◽

pp. 519-526 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

X. Chen ◽

M. D. Hao

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Chinese Wheat

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Effect of Ploughing Techniques on Water Use and Yield of Rice in Maugo Small-Holder Irrigation Scheme, Kenya

AgriEngineering ◽

10.3390/agriengineering3010007 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 110-117

Author(s):

Pius Kipchumba Cheboi ◽

Shahida Anusha Siddiqui ◽

Japheth Onyando ◽

Clement Kiprotich Kiptum ◽

Volker Heinz

Keyword(s):

Water Use Efficiency ◽

Water Use ◽

Future Research ◽

Experimental Site ◽

Irrigation Scheme ◽

Shopping Centre ◽

Tillage Practices ◽

Rice Season ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Small Holder

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of paddy rice ploughing techniques on water use and the yield of rice crop, as well as water use efficiency for rice growing in small-holder irrigation schemes. The study was conducted at a farmer’s field in Powo B sub-block of Maugo Irrigation Scheme. The period of study was from July 2019 to January 2020, which is the rice season. The experimental site was located in the vicinity of Olare Shopping Centre, Kamenya Sub-location, Kochia East Location, Kochia Ward, Rangwe Sub-County, Homa Bay County, Nyanza Region, Kenya in Maugo rice scheme in Kenya. In the study, four irrigation tillage practices were applied: ox-plough, conventional ox-plough, hand hoe and tractor ploughing. The results showed that conventional ox-ploughing consumed the highest amount of water at 1240 mm. The highest water use efficiency of 0.49 kg/m3 and highest yield of 5.7 tons/ha were observed for hand hoe ploughing. Use of the hand hoe ploughing technique increased yields by 20 percent, as compared to the conventional ox-ploughing. Therefore, the use of water for ploughing is not necessary in the study area. Future research will be needed to see how farmers are adopting the technology before scaling up to full mechanization, as partial mechanization was not profitable.

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