Assessment of drip and flood irrigation on biomass production, nutrient content and water use efficiency of maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in wooden boxes to assess flood, surface and
sub-surface drip irrigation on biomass production, nutrient content and water
use efficiency of maize (Zea mays L.). Four levels of irrigation treatments were
applied: (i) SD1 = Drip irrigation pipe was set up on the surface of the soil ; (ii)
SSD2 = Drip irrigation pipe was buried up to 5 cm depth; (iii) SSD3 = Drip
irrigation pipe was buried up to 7.5 cm depth and (iv) FI = Flood irrigation was
practiced without any drip irrigation pipe. Leaf area, leaf area index and biomass
production of maize were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in SSD3 than SSD2 and
FI treatments. Biomass production was 37.2, 41.1, 54.2 and 35.2 g in SD1, SSD2,
SSD3 and FI treatments, respectively. Water use efficiency (WUE) was also
significantly (p < 0.05) higher in surface and sub-surface drip irrigation than
flood irrigation. Values for WUEs were 0.248, 0.298, 0.430 and 0.156 kg/m3 in
SD1, SSD2, SSD3 and FI treatments, respectively. As a result, all three drip
irrigation treatments enhanced water use efficiencies than flood irrigation.
Comparing the three drip irrigation treatments, significantly (p < 0.05) higher
nitrogen was found both in leaf and stem (3.3 and 3.8%) in sub-surface drip
irrigation at 7.5 cm depth than flood irrigation (2.2 and 1.4%). Although,
potassium contents in leaf and stem were not significantly different between the
treatments, but had a tendency to be higher in drip irrigation treatments. Above
all, drip irrigation performed better with higher water use efficiency.