IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agiwat/v297y2024ics0378377424001628.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Multi-growth stage regulated deficit irrigation improves maize water productivity in an arid region of China

Author

Listed:
  • Jiao, Fengli
  • Ding, Risheng
  • Du, Taisheng
  • Kang, Jian
  • Tong, Ling
  • Gao, Jia
  • Shao, Jie

Abstract

Improving crop water productivity (WP) in the face of drought conditions and optimizing water allocation for irrigated crops are critical steps toward mitigating the challenges associated with agricultural water use. To investigate the effects of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) at different growth stages on maize yield and WP, a 4-year field experiment was conducted on spring maize under film drip irrigation from 2016 to 2019 in an arid region of northwest China. RDI significantly reduced plant height, leaf area index (LAI) and dry matter accumulation (DM). Notably, the moderate RDI treatment, denoted as 65/80ET (before and after "/" represent the irrigation volume relative to fully irrigation in the late vegetative and reproductive growth stages, respectively), reduced crop water consumption. This reduction was accompanied by the maintenance of relatively high grain yield and a significant increase in the harvest index, thereby resulting in a marked improvement in WP. In summary, the results of this study indicate that the 65/80ET treatment can effectively stabilize yield while improving efficiency. As such, it can be considered a viable RDI strategy for achieving water-saving, yield stability and enhanced efficiency in maize production.

Suggested Citation

  • Jiao, Fengli & Ding, Risheng & Du, Taisheng & Kang, Jian & Tong, Ling & Gao, Jia & Shao, Jie, 2024. "Multi-growth stage regulated deficit irrigation improves maize water productivity in an arid region of China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:297:y:2024:i:c:s0378377424001628
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2024.108827
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377424001628
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agwat.2024.108827?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Geerts, Sam & Raes, Dirk, 2009. "Deficit irrigation as an on-farm strategy to maximize crop water productivity in dry areas," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(9), pages 1275-1284, September.
    2. Li, Fusheng & Wei, Caihui & Zhang, Fucang & Zhang, Jianhua & Nong, Mengling & Kang, Shaozhong, 2010. "Water-use efficiency and physiological responses of maize under partial root-zone irrigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(8), pages 1156-1164, August.
    3. Zhang, Xiaoxing & Guo, Ping & Zhang, Fan & Liu, Xiao & Yue, Qiong & Wang, Youzhi, 2021. "Optimal irrigation water allocation in Hetao Irrigation District considering decision makers’ preference under uncertainties," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    4. Liao, Qi & Ding, Risheng & Du, Taisheng & Kang, Shaozhong & Tong, Ling & Li, Sien, 2022. "Stomatal conductance drives variations of yield and water use of maize under water and nitrogen stress," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    5. Ali, Shahzad & Xu, Yueyue & Ma, Xiangcheng & Ahmad, Irshad & Manzoor, & Jia, Qianmin & Akmal, Muhammad & Hussain, Zahid & Arif, Muhammad & Cai, Tie & Zhang, Jiahua & Jia, Zhikuan, 2019. "Deficit irrigation strategies to improve winter wheat productivity and regulating root growth under different planting patterns," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 219(C), pages 1-11.
    6. Comas, Louise H. & Trout, Thomas J. & DeJonge, Kendall C. & Zhang, Huihui & Gleason, Sean M., 2019. "Water productivity under strategic growth stage-based deficit irrigation in maize," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 433-440.
    7. Fernández, J.E. & Alcon, F. & Diaz-Espejo, A. & Hernandez-Santana, V. & Cuevas, M.V., 2020. "Water use indicators and economic analysis for on-farm irrigation decision: A case study of a super high density olive tree orchard," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 237(C).
    8. Pandey, R. K. & Maranville, J. W. & Chetima, M. M., 2000. "Deficit irrigation and nitrogen effects on maize in a Sahelian environment: II. Shoot growth, nitrogen uptake and water extraction," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 15-27, November.
    9. Zhao, Jie & Zhang, Xuepeng & Yang, Yadong & Zang, Huadong & Yan, Peng & Meki, Manyowa N. & Doro, Luca & Sui, Peng & Jeong, Jaehak & Zeng, Zhaohai, 2021. "Alternative cropping systems for groundwater irrigation sustainability in the North China Plain," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 250(C).
    10. Alexandratos, Nikos & Bruinsma, Jelle, 2012. "World agriculture towards 2030/2050: the 2012 revision," ESA Working Papers 288998, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA).
    11. Faloye, O.T. & Alatise, M.O. & Ajayi, A.E. & Ewulo, B.S., 2019. "Effects of biochar and inorganic fertiliser applications on growth, yield and water use efficiency of maize under deficit irrigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 217(C), pages 165-178.
    12. Ma, Shou-Chen & Duan, Ai-Wang & Wang, Rui & Guan, Zhong-Mei & Yang, Shen-Jiao & Ma, Shou-Tian & Shao, Yun, 2015. "Root-sourced signal and photosynthetic traits, dry matter accumulation and remobilization, and yield stability in winter wheat as affected by regulated deficit irrigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 123-129.
    13. Kuşçu, Hayrettin & Turhan, Ahmet & Demir, Ali Osman, 2014. "The response of processing tomato to deficit irrigation at various phenological stages in a sub-humid environment," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 92-103.
    14. Du, Shaoqing & Kang, Shaozhong & Li, Fusheng & Du, Taisheng, 2017. "Water use efficiency is improved by alternate partial root-zone irrigation of apple in arid northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 184-192.
    15. Du, Taisheng & Kang, Shaozhong & Sun, Jingsheng & Zhang, Xiying & Zhang, Jianhua, 2010. "An improved water use efficiency of cereals under temporal and spatial deficit irrigation in north China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(1), pages 66-74, January.
    16. Hanjra, Munir A. & Qureshi, M. Ejaz, 2010. "Global water crisis and future food security in an era of climate change," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(5), pages 365-377, October.
    17. Pandey, R. K. & Maranville, J. W. & Admou, A., 2000. "Deficit irrigation and nitrogen effects on maize in a Sahelian environment: I. Grain yield and yield components," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 1-13, November.
    18. Memon, Shamim Ara & Sheikh, Irfan Ahemd & Talpur, Mashooque Ali & Mangrio, Munir Ahmed, 2021. "Impact of deficit irrigation strategies on winter wheat in semi-arid climate of sindh," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    19. Wang, Feng & Meng, Haofeng & Xie, Ruizhi & Wang, Keru & Ming, Bo & Hou, Peng & Xue, Jun & Li, Shaokun, 2023. "Optimizing deficit irrigation and regulated deficit irrigation methods increases water productivity in maize," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    20. Xiao, Dengpan & Liu, De Li & Wang, Bin & Feng, Puyu & Bai, Huizi & Tang, Jianzhao, 2020. "Climate change impact on yields and water use of wheat and maize in the North China Plain under future climate change scenarios," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 238(C).
    21. Khorsand, Afshin & Rezaverdinejad, Vahid & Asgarzadeh, Hossein & Majnooni-Heris, Abolfazl & Rahimi, Amir & Besharat, Sina, 2019. "Irrigation scheduling of maize based on plant and soil indices with surface drip irrigation subjected to different irrigation regimes," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 224(C), pages 1-1.
    22. Yan, Shicheng & Wu, You & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Fucang & Qiang, Shengcai & Zheng, Jing & Xiang, Youzhen & Guo, Jinjin & Zou, Haiyang, 2019. "Effects of water and fertilizer management on grain filling characteristics, grain weight and productivity of drip-fertigated winter wheat," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 983-995.
    23. A. Yazar & F. Gökçel & M.S. Sezen, 2009. "Corn yield response to partial rootzone drying and deficit irrigation strategies applied with drip system," Plant, Soil and Environment, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 55(11), pages 494-503.
    24. Cheng, Minghui & Wang, Haidong & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Shaohui & Liao, Zhenqi & Zhang, Fucang & Wang, Yanli, 2021. "A global meta-analysis of yield and water use efficiency of crops, vegetables and fruits under full, deficit and alternate partial root-zone irrigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    25. Qian Li & Yan Chen & Shikun Sun & Muyuan Zhu & Jing Xue & Zihan Gao & Jinfeng Zhao & Yihe Tang, 2022. "Research on Crop Irrigation Schedules Under Deficit Irrigation—A Meta-analysis," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 36(12), pages 4799-4817, September.
    26. Pereira, Luis Santos & Oweis, Theib & Zairi, Abdelaziz, 2002. "Irrigation management under water scarcity," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 57(3), pages 175-206, December.
    27. Zhang, Huihui & Ma, Liwang & Douglas-Mankin, Kyle R. & Han, Ming & Trout, Thomas J., 2021. "Modeling maize production under growth stage-based deficit irrigation management with RZWQM2," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    28. Kang, Shaozhong & Hao, Xinmei & Du, Taisheng & Tong, Ling & Su, Xiaoling & Lu, Hongna & Li, Xiaolin & Huo, Zailin & Li, Sien & Ding, Risheng, 2017. "Improving agricultural water productivity to ensure food security in China under changing environment: From research to practice," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 5-17.
    29. Zou, Yufeng & Saddique, Qaisar & Ali, Ajaz & Xu, Jiatun & Khan, Muhammad Imran & Qing, Mu & Azmat, Muhammad & Cai, Huanjie & Siddique, Kadambot H.M., 2021. "Deficit irrigation improves maize yield and water use efficiency in a semi-arid environment," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Comas, Louise H. & Trout, Thomas J. & DeJonge, Kendall C. & Zhang, Huihui & Gleason, Sean M., 2019. "Water productivity under strategic growth stage-based deficit irrigation in maize," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 433-440.
    2. Zhu, Hongyan & Zheng, Bingyan & Nie, Weibo & Fei, Liangjun & Shan, Yuyang & Li, Ge & Liang, Fei, 2024. "Optimization of maize irrigation strategy in Xinjiang, China by AquaCrop based on a four-year study," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).
    3. Lu, Junsheng & Xiang, Youzhen & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Fucang & Hu, Tiantian, 2021. "Sustainable high grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency and water productivity can be achieved in wheat-maize rotation system by changing irrigation and fertilization strategy," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    4. Cheng, Minghui & Wang, Haidong & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Shaohui & Liao, Zhenqi & Zhang, Fucang & Wang, Yanli, 2021. "A global meta-analysis of yield and water use efficiency of crops, vegetables and fruits under full, deficit and alternate partial root-zone irrigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    5. Singh, Manpreet & Singh, Sukhbir & Deb, Sanjit & Ritchie, Glen, 2023. "Root distribution, soil water depletion, and water productivity of sweet corn under deficit irrigation and biochar application," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    6. Ran, Junjun & Ran, Hui & Ma, Longfei & Jennings, Stewart A. & Yu, Tinggao & Deng, Xin & Yao, Ning & Hu, Xiaotao, 2023. "Quantifying water productivity and nitrogen uptake of maize under water and nitrogen stress in arid Northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 285(C).
    7. Gao, Jia & Liu, Ninggang & Wang, Xianqi & Niu, Zuoyuan & Liao, Qi & Ding, Risheng & Du, Taisheng & Kang, Shaozhong & Tong, Ling, 2024. "Maintaining grain number by reducing grain abortion is the key to improve water use efficiency of maize under deficit irrigation and salt stress," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 294(C).
    8. Kang, Jian & Hao, Xinmei & Zhou, Huiping & Ding, Risheng, 2021. "An integrated strategy for improving water use efficiency by understanding physiological mechanisms of crops responding to water deficit: Present and prospect," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    9. Allakonon, M. Gloriose B. & Zakari, Sissou & Tovihoudji, Pierre G. & Fatondji, A. Sènami & Akponikpè, P.B. Irénikatché, 2022. "Grain yield, actual evapotranspiration and water productivity responses of maize crop to deficit irrigation: A global meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    10. Miodrag Tolimir & Branka Kresović & Katarina Gajić & Violeta Anđelković & Milan Brankov & Marijana Dugalić & Boško Gajić, 2024. "Integrated effect of irrigation rate and plant density on yield, yield components and water use efficiency of maize," Plant, Soil and Environment, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 70(8), pages 475-482.
    11. Wang, Feng & Meng, Haofeng & Xie, Ruizhi & Wang, Keru & Ming, Bo & Hou, Peng & Xue, Jun & Li, Shaokun, 2023. "Optimizing deficit irrigation and regulated deficit irrigation methods increases water productivity in maize," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    12. Barron, Jennie & Okwach, George, 2005. "Run-off water harvesting for dry spell mitigation in maize (Zea mays L.): results from on-farm research in semi-arid Kenya," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 74(1), pages 1-21, May.
    13. Li, Cheng & Luo, Xiaoqi & Wang, Naijiang & Wu, Wenjie & Li, Yue & Quan, Hao & Zhang, Tibin & Ding, Dianyuan & Dong, Qin’ge & Feng, Hao, 2022. "Transparent plastic film combined with deficit irrigation improves hydrothermal status of the soil-crop system and spring maize growth in arid areas," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 265(C).
    14. repec:caa:jnlpse:v:preprint:id:155-2024-pse is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Wang, Yufeng & Kang, Shaozhong & Li, Fusheng & Zhang, Xiaotao, 2021. "Modified water-nitrogen productivity function based on response of water sensitive index to nitrogen for hybrid maize under drip fertigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 245(C).
    16. Manning, Dale T. & Lurbé, Salvador & Comas, Louise H. & Trout, Thomas J. & Flynn, Nora & Fonte, Steven J., 2018. "Economic viability of deficit irrigation in the Western US," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 114-123.
    17. He, Rui & He, Min & Xu, Haidong & Zhang, Kun & Zhang, Mingcai & Ren, Dan & Li, Zhaohu & Zhou, Yuyi & Duan, Liusheng, 2023. "A novel plant growth regulator brazide improved maize water productivity in the arid region of Northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 287(C).
    18. Geerts, Sam & Raes, Dirk, 2009. "Deficit irrigation as an on-farm strategy to maximize crop water productivity in dry areas," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(9), pages 1275-1284, September.
    19. Wang, Chong & Gao, Zhenzhen & Zhao, Jiongchao & Feng, Yupeng & Laraib, Iqra & Shang, Mengfei & Wang, Kaicheng & Chen, Fu & Chu, Qingquan, 2022. "Irrigation-induced hydrothermal variation affects greenhouse gas emissions and crop production," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    20. Uygan, Demet & Cetin, Oner & Alveroglu, Volkan & Sofuoglu, Aytug, 2021. "Improvement of water saving and economic productivity based on quotation with sugar content of sugar beet using linear move sprinkler irrigation," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 255(C).
    21. Shi, Rongchao & Wang, Jintao & Tong, Ling & Du, Taisheng & Shukla, Manoj Kumar & Jiang, Xuelian & Li, Donghao & Qin, Yonghui & He, Liuyue & Bai, Xiaorui & Guo, Xiaoxu, 2022. "Optimizing planting density and irrigation depth of hybrid maize seed production under limited water availability," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:297:y:2024:i:c:s0378377424001628. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/agwat .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.