Articles
EFFECT OF SPRINKLER IRRIGATION ON CORN YIELD. A CASE STUDY IN THE SOUTH OF PORTUGAL.
Article number
537_101
Pages
847 – 852
Language
English
Abstract
The corn yield in two watershed basins irrigated by the same center-pivot system was studied.
The irrigation area was pedologically and topographically different, showing low to high aptitude to irrigation.
It was taken into consideration five soil units which were carefully characterised and it was studied the soil variables responsible for its variation.
Particular technical procedures, such as the opening of hollows between rows , were taken into account in order to increase water retention capacity as well as to increase the aptitude to irrigation in the soil.
Some yield components and plant roots were also studied.
The inherent characteristics of the soil responsible for most pedologic variability were: soil thickness, gravel content, pH, exchangeable cations and texture of the superficial layer.
The leaf area and the LAI, were the growth parameters which better explained the variation of corn yield.
The soil unit V (a thicker soil, with less content of EG, more clay – montmorillonite type, higher pH and exchangeable cations), was the one presenting higher values of these two parameters, 5181 cm2 / plant and 4.2, respectively.
These results were in concordance with the distribution of the root systems at the same phase.
As a conclusion we can say that the corn yield was clearly influenced by soil potential productivity and it wasnt significantly modified by irrigation technology.
Draining control technology in the worst soils was significant although not sufficient to give production at the same levels of the better soils.
The irrigation area was pedologically and topographically different, showing low to high aptitude to irrigation.
It was taken into consideration five soil units which were carefully characterised and it was studied the soil variables responsible for its variation.
Particular technical procedures, such as the opening of hollows between rows , were taken into account in order to increase water retention capacity as well as to increase the aptitude to irrigation in the soil.
Some yield components and plant roots were also studied.
The inherent characteristics of the soil responsible for most pedologic variability were: soil thickness, gravel content, pH, exchangeable cations and texture of the superficial layer.
The leaf area and the LAI, were the growth parameters which better explained the variation of corn yield.
The soil unit V (a thicker soil, with less content of EG, more clay – montmorillonite type, higher pH and exchangeable cations), was the one presenting higher values of these two parameters, 5181 cm2 / plant and 4.2, respectively.
These results were in concordance with the distribution of the root systems at the same phase.
As a conclusion we can say that the corn yield was clearly influenced by soil potential productivity and it wasnt significantly modified by irrigation technology.
Draining control technology in the worst soils was significant although not sufficient to give production at the same levels of the better soils.
Authors
S. Ramôa, P. Oliveira e Silva, C.M. Arruda Pacheco, I. Bileu de Oliveira
Keywords
Soil productivity, soil-units, center-pivot, LAI, roots, hollows
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