Phenology and Yield of Spring Maize ( Zea mays L.) under Different Drip Irrigation Regimes and Planting Meth ods

Abstract

Maize response to deficit water and planting method s was studied for assessing phenological development and yield under Punjab con ditions. Experiment was planned with eleven (9+2) treatments; nine treatments were the combinations of three levels of Cumulative Pan Evaporation (CPE) i.e. Drip Irrigati on (DI) to replenish 60, 80, and 100% of base (30 mm) CPE and three planting methods i.e. 1Row/Ridge, 1Row/Bed and 1Row (zigzag)/Bed. The additional two treatments i. e. flat and ridge sown, were kept as control. Each increase from DI 60 to DI 100 caused significant earliness in visibility of coll ar of the 8 th leaf, tasselling, and silking and significant dela y in dough stage and physiological maturity. Irrigation water applied was linearly rel ated to the duration of the reproductive phase and grain yield. Higher Dry Matter (DM) produ ction and longer reproductive phase led to significantly higher grain yield under DI 100 . All phenological stages were delayed under flat sown as compared to ridge sown c ontrol. Ridge sown was better than flat sown control with respect to DM and grain yiel d. Drip irrigation treatments showed advancement in tasselling and silking and significa ntly late physiological maturity with longer reproductive phase that resulted in signific antly higher crop DM and grain yield as compared to the mean of the two control treatments. Crop phenology was affected by drip irrigation regimes and increase in drip irrigation regimes was linearly and positively related with length of reproductive phase. Thus, gr ain yield was also increased significantly. However, crop phenology and yield we re not affected much by the planting methods used. Keywords: Pan evaporation, Reproductive phase, Ridge planting , Silking, Tasselling.