Integrated effects of water stress and plastic film mulch on yield and water use efficiency of grain maize crop under conventional and alternate furrow irrigation method

The field trial was carried out at the Malir farm, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam to evaluate the irrigation water practices on the performance of grain maize yield. In field experiment involved two types of furrow irrigation methods (conventional and alternate furrow irrigation), two water stress level (sufficiently and severely water stress levels) and mulch practice (without mulch and plastic film mulch). Total eight treatments were laid out in a complete randomized block design along with three replications. The conventional and alternate furrow irrigation method was assigned to the main plot while the water stress and plastic film mulching were in the sub-plots. The results showed that the plant height, leaves, stem girth, cob length, 1000-grain weight, dry biomass and crop harvest index were significantly affected by irrigation methods. Significant highest plant growth and grain yield of maize crop were observed with the conventional furrow irrigation method than with the alternate furrow irrigation method. However, the crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE) was increased significantly by the plastic film mulching. The results revealed that the sufficient water stress was effective in sustaining crop yield and WUE than crop irrigating at the several water stresses. The interaction effect of furrow irrigation and water stress, and furrow irrigation and plastic film mulch had significant on WUE of the grain maize. The WUE of maize crop was significantly higher under the alternate furrow irrigation method as compared to conventional furrow irrigation method if it was mulched with plastic film and irrigated at sufficiency water stress level.