Optimizing Irrigation Strategies to Improve Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Drip-Irrigated Maize in Southern Xinjiang
The contradiction between increased irrigation demand and water scarcity in arid regions has become more acute for crops as a result of global climate change. This highlights the urgent need to improve crop water use efficiency. In this study, four irrigation volumes were established for drip-irriga...
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2024-12-01
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| author | Qingyong Bian Zhiduo Dong Yanbo Fu Yupeng Zhao Yaozu Feng Zhiguo Wang Jingquan Zhu |
| author_facet | Qingyong Bian Zhiduo Dong Yanbo Fu Yupeng Zhao Yaozu Feng Zhiguo Wang Jingquan Zhu |
| author_sort | Qingyong Bian |
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| description | The contradiction between increased irrigation demand and water scarcity in arid regions has become more acute for crops as a result of global climate change. This highlights the urgent need to improve crop water use efficiency. In this study, four irrigation volumes were established for drip-irrigated maize under plastic mulch: 2145 m<sup>3</sup> ha<sup>−1</sup> (W1), 2685 m<sup>3</sup> ha<sup>−1</sup> (W2), 3360 m<sup>3</sup> ha<sup>−1</sup> (W3), and 4200 m<sup>3</sup> ha<sup>−1</sup> (W4). The effects of these volumes on soil moisture, maize growth, water consumption, crop coefficients, and yield were analyzed. The results showed that increasing the irrigation volume led to a 2.86% to 8.71% increase in soil moisture content, a 24.56% to 47.41% increase in water consumption, and a 3.43% to 35% increase in the crop coefficient. Maize plant height increased by 16.34% to 42.38%, ear height by 16.85% to 51.01%, ear length by 2.43% to 28.13%, and yield by 16.96% to 39.24%. Additionally, soil temperature was reduced by 1.67% to 5.67%, and the maize bald tip length decreased by 6.62% to 48%. The irrigation water use efficiency improved by 6.57% to 28.89%. A comprehensive evaluation using the TOPSIS method demonstrated that 3360 m<sup>3</sup> ha<sup>−1</sup> of irrigation water was an effective irrigation strategy for increasing maize yield under drip irrigation with plastic mulch in the southern border area. Compared to 4200 m<sup>3</sup> ha<sup>−1</sup>, this strategy saved 840 m<sup>3</sup> ha<sup>−1</sup> of irrigation water, increased the irrigation water use efficiency by 23.96%, and resulted in only a 0.84% decrease in yield. The findings of this study provide a theoretical foundation for optimizing production benefits in the context of limited water resources. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Kabale University |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-0b126b66d9ce48e794f3d702d6d2977c2024-12-27T14:47:43ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472024-12-011324349210.3390/plants13243492Optimizing Irrigation Strategies to Improve Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Drip-Irrigated Maize in Southern XinjiangQingyong Bian0Zhiduo Dong1Yanbo Fu2Yupeng Zhao3Yaozu Feng4Zhiguo Wang5Jingquan Zhu6Institute of Soil Fertilizer, Agricultural Water Saving, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, ChinaInstitute of Soil Fertilizer, Agricultural Water Saving, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, ChinaInstitute of Soil Fertilizer, Agricultural Water Saving, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, ChinaInstitute of Soil Fertilizer, Agricultural Water Saving, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, ChinaInstitute of Soil Fertilizer, Agricultural Water Saving, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, ChinaInstitute of Soil Fertilizer, Agricultural Water Saving, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, ChinaNational Soil Quality Aksu Observation Experimental Station, Aksu 843000, ChinaThe contradiction between increased irrigation demand and water scarcity in arid regions has become more acute for crops as a result of global climate change. This highlights the urgent need to improve crop water use efficiency. In this study, four irrigation volumes were established for drip-irrigated maize under plastic mulch: 2145 m<sup>3</sup> ha<sup>−1</sup> (W1), 2685 m<sup>3</sup> ha<sup>−1</sup> (W2), 3360 m<sup>3</sup> ha<sup>−1</sup> (W3), and 4200 m<sup>3</sup> ha<sup>−1</sup> (W4). The effects of these volumes on soil moisture, maize growth, water consumption, crop coefficients, and yield were analyzed. The results showed that increasing the irrigation volume led to a 2.86% to 8.71% increase in soil moisture content, a 24.56% to 47.41% increase in water consumption, and a 3.43% to 35% increase in the crop coefficient. Maize plant height increased by 16.34% to 42.38%, ear height by 16.85% to 51.01%, ear length by 2.43% to 28.13%, and yield by 16.96% to 39.24%. Additionally, soil temperature was reduced by 1.67% to 5.67%, and the maize bald tip length decreased by 6.62% to 48%. The irrigation water use efficiency improved by 6.57% to 28.89%. A comprehensive evaluation using the TOPSIS method demonstrated that 3360 m<sup>3</sup> ha<sup>−1</sup> of irrigation water was an effective irrigation strategy for increasing maize yield under drip irrigation with plastic mulch in the southern border area. Compared to 4200 m<sup>3</sup> ha<sup>−1</sup>, this strategy saved 840 m<sup>3</sup> ha<sup>−1</sup> of irrigation water, increased the irrigation water use efficiency by 23.96%, and resulted in only a 0.84% decrease in yield. The findings of this study provide a theoretical foundation for optimizing production benefits in the context of limited water resources.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/24/3492maizeirrigationcrop coefficientyieldirrigation water use efficiency |
| spellingShingle | Qingyong Bian Zhiduo Dong Yanbo Fu Yupeng Zhao Yaozu Feng Zhiguo Wang Jingquan Zhu Optimizing Irrigation Strategies to Improve Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Drip-Irrigated Maize in Southern Xinjiang Plants maize irrigation crop coefficient yield irrigation water use efficiency |
| title | Optimizing Irrigation Strategies to Improve Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Drip-Irrigated Maize in Southern Xinjiang |
| title_full | Optimizing Irrigation Strategies to Improve Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Drip-Irrigated Maize in Southern Xinjiang |
| title_fullStr | Optimizing Irrigation Strategies to Improve Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Drip-Irrigated Maize in Southern Xinjiang |
| title_full_unstemmed | Optimizing Irrigation Strategies to Improve Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Drip-Irrigated Maize in Southern Xinjiang |
| title_short | Optimizing Irrigation Strategies to Improve Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Drip-Irrigated Maize in Southern Xinjiang |
| title_sort | optimizing irrigation strategies to improve yield and water use efficiency of drip irrigated maize in southern xinjiang |
| topic | maize irrigation crop coefficient yield irrigation water use efficiency |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/13/24/3492 |
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