Drip irrigation in maize (Zea mays)-based cropping systems

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during 2015–16 and 2016–17 at the Irrigation Water Management Research Centre (University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka) Dharwad, Karnataka to estimate the productivity of drip irrigation for which maize (Zea mays L.) was grown in the rainy (kharif) season, followed by chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) or bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) or field bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in winter (rabi) season. The treatments comprised 3 levels of irrigation for maize, viz. 1.0 ET0 (the reference evapotranspiration); 0.8 ET0; and surface flooding (control); and 0.6 ET0 for chickpea, 0.9 ET0 for wheat, and 0.6 ET0 for field bean. The grain yield of maize was significantly higher in 1.0 ET0 (11.93 t/ha) than 0.8 ET0 (11.16 t/ha or the control (9.73 t/ha). In the winter, yields with drip irrigation were significantly higher by 32.06% in chickpea, 16.46% in wheat, and 26.10% in field bean; in terms of maize-kernel equivalent yield, chickpea (20 t/ha) and wheat (18.4 t/ha) proved superior to field bean. The highest water productivity (21.84 kg/m3 ) was recorded in the maize-chickpea combination, which fetched the highest returns (about 2 Lakhs, or $2475/ha), giving a benefit: cost (B:C) ratio of 4.13.