Water scarcity in arid regions increases the need for technologies to improve water productivity. The integrated effects of plastic film mulching and water stress on grain maize under conventional and alternate furrow irrigation methods are still poorly understood in Sindh’s climate. Therefore, field trials were conducted at Malir farm, Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam, Pakistan, during the cropping season 2020–2021 to investigate whether mulching is practicable for grain maize production under the different furrow irrigation methods. The experiments involved two types of furrow irrigation, two water stress levels (sufficient and severe water stress), and plastic film mulching. Treatments were laid out in a randomized block design and 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 sub-plots. The results showed that different furrow irrigation methods significantly affected plant growth, grain yield parameters, and crop harvest index. Significant highest plant growth and grain yield of maize crop were observed with the conventional furrow irrigation (CFI) compared with the alternate furrow irrigation (AFI) method. However, grain yield and irrigation water productivity (IWP) were increased significantly by the plastic film mulching. The results revealed that sufficient water stress was more effective in sustaining grain yield and IWP than crop irrigating at several water stresses. The interaction effect of furrow irrigation and water stress, furrow irrigation, and plastic film mulching significantly impacted the IWP of grain maize. The IWP of the maize crop was significantly higher under the AFI than the CFI method if it was mulched with plastic film and irrigated at sufficient water stress level.
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.
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