Open Access

ARTICLE

Yield and quality of forage maize (Zea mays L.) with different levels of subsurface drip irrigation and plant density

Yescas CP¹, MA Segura C¹, L Martínez C², VP Álvarez R¹, JA Montemayor T¹, JA Orozco V¹, JE Frías R¹

1 DEPI Instituto Tecnológico de Torreón. Carretera Torreón-San Pedro Km. 75 Ejido Ana. Torreón, Coahuila, C.P. 27170, México.
2 DEPI Instituto Tecnológico Superior de Lerdo. Ciudad Lerdo Durango, C.P. 31150, México.

* Corresponding Author:Address Correspondence to: Dr. Jorge Arnaldo Orozco Vidal, Fax 052-871-750- 7199; Teléfono 052- 871-750-7198; e-mail:

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2015, 84(2), 272-279. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2015.84.272

Abstract

The scarcity of water in arid and semiarid regions of the world is a problem that every day increases by climate change. The subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) and changes in population density of plants are alternatives that can be used to make a sustainable use of water. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the combination that allows for an increased corn performance and efficient use of water without losing the quality of forage. Three different irrigation levels were applied through a system of a SDI at three different densities of forage maize plants in an arid region. The results demonstrated that by applying different levels of water, either enough or lack of soil moisture is created, which is directly reflected in crop yield, and its determining variables such as green forage and dry matter yield, and nutritional quality. The irrigation level to a 100% of potential evapotranspiration (PET), at a density of 80000 plants/ha, increased yield of green forage to 57664 kg/ha; crude protein was 8.59%, while the rest of the quality parameters decreased. This study allowed to conclude that the irrigation level was the major factor in the response of the crop.

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