Enhancement Growth, Water use efficiency and Economic benefit forMaize by Drip Irrigation in Northwest China

Abstract

The application of drip irrigation has been paid more and more attention, but there was lack of systematic comparative analysis between drip irrigation and traditional irrigation for maize, currently. The goal of this study was to compare growth and water use efficiency as well as economic benefits while using drip irrigation or traditional irrigation for maize production in northwest China. An experiment was conducted during 2015–2021 in Shihezi in Xinjiang, China, that included drip irrigation (DI, 5400m3·hm− 2) treatment and traditional irrigation (TI, 7200 m3·hm− 2) treatment. The results showed the plant height, leaf area index, yield, water use efficiency and economic benefit of maize with drip irrigation had significantly higher than traditional irrigation. The dry matter translocation, the dry matter transfer efficiency and contribution of dry matter translocation to grain with drip irrigation showed significant increase of 27.44%, 13.97% and 7.85% compared to traditional irrigation, respectively. In comparison to traditional irrigation, the yield of drip irrigation increased by 18.42%, as well as water use efficiency (WUE) and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) increased by 53.77% and 57.89%. The net return and economic benefit of drip irrigation was 1998.87 and 756.58 USD$·hm− 1 higher than that of traditional irrigation. Drip irrigation increased net return and benefit/cost ratio by 60.90% and 22.88% compared with traditional irrigation. These results demonstrate that the drip irrigation can effectively improve the growth, yield, water use efficiency and economic benefit of maize in northwest China. In the meanwhile, drip irrigation technology shows the potential to increase maize yield, but the decision to use drip irrigation should take into account economic benefits and environmental impacts. Therefore, drip irrigation can be used for maize cultivation to increase crop yield and water use efficiency in northwest China, which has cut down on irrigation water about 1800m3·hm− 2.

Comparative Study of Crop and Water Productivity Under Drip and Furrow Irrigation Systems for Plastic Tunnel-Grown Off-Season Vegetables

“…The net increase in income with drip than with furrow irrigation system was 23%, 34%and 41% higher in capsicum, cucumber and hot pepper, respectively as earlier reported [3,6]. Drip irrigation improved marketable yield and fruit quality in the case of cucumber [7]. Keeping in view the above discussion, a comparison was made between drip irrigation and furrow irrigation methods to assess the potential of drip irrigation technology and investigate its effect on yield and water productivity of three off-season vegetables (capsicum, cucumber, hot pepper) at farmer fields in a controlled environment.…”

Environmental Change Impact on Agriculture Economic Products

“…The first is Military involvement, along with large-scale trees, like 300,000 trees were planted, and grassland restoration, suggests a proactive approach to enhancing the environment. These efforts have the potential to positively impact the agriculture sector by creating more favorable conditions for crop cultivation [5]. Furthermore, government research and development investments, coupled with rural infrastructure improvements, contribute to technological advancements in agriculture.…”

“…Government-led initiatives focused on environmental preservation and prudent resource management, as exemplified by "In the Improving the Ecological Environment for the Benefit of the People of Northwest China." hold the potential to bring about substantial transformations within the agricultural sector [5]. Furthermore, the study "Influence of Environment Governance on Agriculture Green Technology Innovation" underscores the interconnectedness between effective environmental governance and agricultural innovation [6].…”

“…The strategic planting of hundreds of thousands of trees, grassland restoration efforts, and investments in rural infrastructure, as discussed in " In the Improving the Ecological Environment for the Benefit of the People of Northwest China." have not only improved the ecological landscape but have also created a more conducive environment for agricultural product [5]. These initiatives, coupled with the correlation established in "Influence of Environment Governance on Agriculture Green Technology Innovation" reveal the integral connection between sustainable policies and technological innovation [6].…”