Effect of Different Irrigation Methods and Superabsorbent Polymer on Yield and Water Productivity of Corn

Subject Areas : Journal of Plant Ecophysiology

Fayaz Aghayari ¹ (Assistant professor, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University)
Fatemeh Khalili ² (Department of Agronomy, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran)
Mohammad Reza Ardakani ³ (Department of Agronomy, Karaj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran)

Received: 2015-12-12 Accepted : 2016-01-28 Published : 2016-06-01

Keywords: Corn, drought, Fixed alternate irrigation,

Abstract :

To study the effect of different irrigation methods and superabsorbent polymer on yield and water productivity of corn, a field experiment was carried out in factorial split plot arrangement using randomized complete block design with four replications at Research Farm of College of Agriculture, Islamic Azad University, Karaj, Iran, in 2013-2014 growing season. Deficit irrigation with three levels including irrigation with 100, 75 and 50 percent crop water requirement, furrow irrigation methods with two levels including fixed alternate furrow irrigation and conventional furrow irrigation that were located in the main plots and superabsorbent polymer with two levels including non-use superabsorbent polymer and used of superabsorbent (30kg/ha) that were located in the sub plots. The results showed that in condition of deficit irrigation for supply grain yield, we can use fixed alternate furrow irrigation method instead of the conventional furrow irrigation method. The highest water productivity for grain yield (2.06 kg.m-3) and biologic yield (4.71 kg.m-3) was achieved in condition of irrigation with 75% crop water requirement and fixed alternate furrow irrigation method. The use of superabsorbent in fixed alternate furrow irrigation method increased water productivity for grain yield and biologic yield (26.6 and 14.5 percent, respectively) as compared with non-use. In the context, application of fixed alternate furrow irrigation with 75% crop water requirement and superabsorbent increased significantly water productivity for corn yield.