Evaluating the Effect of Different Levels of Deficit Irrigation and Partial Root-Zone Drying on the Yield and Water Productivity of Maize in Hajiabad

With the increase of population, the optimal use of water resources is necessary. This study was carried out to evaluate the impact of different levels of irrigation on the yield, yield components and water productivity of corn using single and double row drip irrigation systems (Tubes type). . The experiment was conducted in a split plot design based on the randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications in 2012 in Hajiabad, Hormozgan Province. The treatments were comprised of three levels of irrigation as the main plot (100, 80 and 60% water requirement) and two patterns of irrigating water pipe installation (normal and every other row) as a sub-plot of the design. The results showed that irrigating with the 80 percent water requirement, in comparison with full irrigation, increased the total yield by 1.4%, the seed weight by 1.8%, the number of seeds per row by 8.7%, and the number of seed row per maize by 13%. In spite of yield superiority in the pattern of normally irrigating water pipe installation (10055.56 kg ha-1), against every other row installation (9366.67 kg ha-1), water productivity was more in every other row installation (1.089 kg m-3). Therefore, partial root-zone drying was recommended by the irrigation of the 80% plant water requirement for the maize in the region.