Effect Of Ridge-furrow Irrigation On Water-saving And Yield-increasing Of Maize

In arid and semi arid region, the climate was drought, the precipitation was scarce. Watershortage is the main factor restricting the region’s agriculture and economic development. Inridge-furrow irrigation, the flow water only transports on furrows and supplies water to crops.The flow water on furrows infiltrates into ridge-furrow configuration by capillarity forces,and lateral infiltrated water volume must meet the needs of the plants grown. Theridge-furrow configuration is built by shaping the soil surface to reduce irrigation wateramounts, to improve the water supply condition and enhance the yield. Field experimentswere conducted in the experimental station of He Tao Irrigation Area of Inner Mongolia.Three irrigation amounts were designed under the maize growing periods, they are as follow:irrigation amounts at high-volume, medium-volume, low-volume and two planting patterns:ridge and furrow planting, flat planting. The experiment comprised the effects of differentplanting patterns and irrigation amounts on soil moisture, growth and development, yield andwater use efficiency. The main results showed as follows:(1) The ridge-furrow irrigation planting can significantly improved soil moisture,increased soil water content. At the irrigation amounts of high-volume, medium-volume andlow-volume, the ridge and furrow planting could increase the0-20cm soil water content by2.94mm,4.89mm and4.53mm, the20-60cm soil water content by9.02mm,8.51mm and3.36mm, the60-100cm soil water content by9.88mm,10.43mm and6.63mm compared toflat planting. The0-100cm average moisture content of the ridge and furrow planting is higherthan flat planting of1.99mm,2.07mm and1.36mm.(2) The ridge-furrow irrigation planting could enhance the plant height, the stemdiameter, the leaf area index and the dry matter at the irrigation amounts of high-volume,medium-volume and low-volume. Compared to fiat planting, the plant height under ridge andfurrow planting after maize harvested, increased by1.90%,5.90%and7.44%, the stemdiameter increased by6.78%,6.68%and7.61%, the leaf area index increased by10.89%, 10.09%and10.46%, and the dry matter increased by6.02%,8.72%and4.79%, respectivelyfor corn sown in spring at three rainfall levels. The ridge and furrow planting had significanteffect on yield increment especially at medium-volume irrigation amounts.(3) At the irrigation amounts of high-volume, medium-volume and low-volume, thefunction leaf SPAD value of maize changed along with the advance of growth periods fromjointing to booting. The ridge and furrow planting had significant effect on SPAD valueincrement especially at medium-volume irrigation amounts. The ridge and furrow plantinghad no significant effect on SPAD value with the rainfall increase or decrease.(4) At the irrigation amounts of high-volume, medium-volume and low-volume, theridge and furrow planting could make developmental stages occur earlier. The corn seedlingand jointing emerged1d and2d in three irrigation amounts. The heading and maturingoccurred earlier4d and5d at the irrigation amounts of high-volume, earlier3d and4d at theirrigation amounts of medium-volume, earlier3d and1d at the irrigation amounts oflow-volume. Effects of the ridge and furrow planting at the irrigation amounts ofmedium-volume were the greatest influence, firstly into each growth periods, shortest of thewhole stages144d. The ridge and furrow planting could shorten the growth period of4d-8d.(5) The ridge-furrow irrigation planting had significant effect on yield increment. Athigh-volume, medium-volume and low-volume irrigation amounts, the grain yield of maizeunder ridge and furrow planting increased by1221kg·hm-2(9.43%),2371kg·hm-2(19.04%)and1011kg·hm-2(10.33%). The grain yield amplitude of ridge and furrow planting differencewith irrigation amounts, especially at medium-volume irrigation amounts.(6) The ridge-furrow irrigation planting could increase WUE compared to flat planting atthe irrigation amounts of high-volume, medium-volume and low-volume. Finally, ridge andfurrow planting could enhance WUE by2.54kg·hm-2·mm-1(9.72%),5.10kg·hm-2·mm-1(19.26%) and2.07kg·hm-2·mm-1(8.88%) respectively compared to flat planting, and thedifference was significant (p<0.05).