Environment and Ecology Research Vol. 2(3), pp. 122 - 137
DOI: 10.13189/eer.2014.020302
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Effect of Deficit Irrigation and Mulch on Soil Physical Properties, Growth and Yield of Maize

Rizwan Yaseen ^1,*, Jamil Shafi ², Waqas Ahmad ³, Muhammad Shoaib Rana ¹, Muhammad Salim ⁴, Saeed Ahmad Qaisrani ^4
1 Institute of Soil and Environmental Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (38040) Pakistan
² Department of Plant Pathology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (38040) Pakistan
³ Institute of Horticultural Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (38040) Pakistan
⁴ Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad (38040) Pakistan

ABSTRACT

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of deficit irrigation and mulch levels on soil physical properties and growth and yield of maize crop. The experiment comprised of two irrigation levels, i.e. I₁: 558.8 mm and I₂: 711.2 mm while two mulch levels, i.e. M₀: no mulch and M₁₅: 15 Mg ha^-1. Soil samples were collected from 0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm depths before sowing and at crop harvest. The samples were analyzed for soil physical, i.e. bulk density, field saturated hydraulic conductivity (mm hr^-1), and infiltration rate (mm hr^-1) and chemical parameters, i.e. SOC concentration, soil NPK and plant NPK.. The results of this study showed that the maximum increase in plant height (11.39 %), biological yield (29.56 %) and grain yield (35.5 %) was observed with treatment combination I₂×M₁₅ as compared to control. In case of soil physical properties, the maximum mean value of infiltration rate and hydraulic conductivity was observed 19.4 and 88.33 mm hr^-1 with treatment combination I₂×M₁₅, respectively while minimum mean value of infiltration rate and hydraulic conductivity was recorded 12.4 and 32.56 mm hr^-1 with treatment combination I₁×M₀, respectively. Soil bulk density decreased by increasing the mulch rate and minimum value of 1.44 Mg m­^-3 observed at 0-10 cm depth with treatment combination I₂×M₁₅. In case of soil chemical properties, the treatment combination I₂×M₁₅ showed highest value of SOC, soil nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium that was 0.55 g kg^-1, 0.64 g kg^-1, 15.48 ppm and 144.67 ppm, respectively.

KEYWORDS
Maize, Soil Prosperities, Irrigation, Mulching, Yield

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Rizwan Yaseen , Jamil Shafi , Waqas Ahmad , Muhammad Shoaib Rana , Muhammad Salim , Saeed Ahmad Qaisrani , "Effect of Deficit Irrigation and Mulch on Soil Physical Properties, Growth and Yield of Maize," Environment and Ecology Research, Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 122 - 137, 2014. DOI: 10.13189/eer.2014.020302.

(b). APA Format:
Rizwan Yaseen , Jamil Shafi , Waqas Ahmad , Muhammad Shoaib Rana , Muhammad Salim , Saeed Ahmad Qaisrani (2014). Effect of Deficit Irrigation and Mulch on Soil Physical Properties, Growth and Yield of Maize. Environment and Ecology Research, 2(3), 122 - 137. DOI: 10.13189/eer.2014.020302.