Determining water-yield relationship, water use efficiency, crop and pan coefficients for silage maize in a semiarid region

Abstract

A field study was conducted to determine effects of seasonal deficit irrigation on plant cob, leaf, stem and total fresh yield, plant height and water use efficiency (WUE) of silage maize for a 2-year period in the semiarid region. In addition, the crop and pan coefficients k c and k p of silage maize were determined in full irrigation conditions. Irrigations were applied when approximately 50% of the usable soil moisture was consumed in the effective rooting depth at the full irrigation treatment. In deficit irrigation treatments, irrigations were applied at the rates of 80, 60, 40, 20 and 0% of full irrigation treatment on the same day. Irrigation water was applied by hose-drawn traveler with a line of sprinklers. Increasing water deficits resulted in a relatively lower cob, leaf, stem and total fresh yields. The linear relationship between evapotranspiration and total fresh yield were obtained. Similarly, WUE was the highest in full irrigation conditions and the lowest in continuous stress conditions. According to the averaged values of 2 years, yield response factor (k y) was 1.51 for silage maize. When combined values of 2 years, seasonal pan coefficient (k p) and seasonal crop coefficient (k c) were determined as 0.84 and as 1.01 for silage maize, respectively. © 2008 Springer-Verlag.