Author(s)

A. A. Abd El-Halim

Abstract

Fixed-furrow irrigation (FFI₁₄ with 14 days interval and FFI₇ with seven day interval) were used to investigate the impacts of deficit irrigation on maize yield, maize-water relations and economic return for the Middle Nile Delta soils compared with conventional every furrow irrigation method with 14 days interval (EFI). The results indicated that grain yield was increased with FFI₇, whereas it tended to decrease under FFI₁₄, in comparison to EFI. The water applied is reduced with FFI₇ and FFI₁₄ when compared to EFI. The crop water use decreased under the FFI₇ and FFI₁₄ techniques as compared to EFI. The FFI₇ scheme exhibited improved crop water use efficiency values, compared to EFI. The results indicated also that FFI₇ treatment does not only increase grain yield, benefit-cost ratio and net return, but also save irrigation water.

Keywords

maize, Zea mays L, fixed-furrow irrigation, maize-water relations, benefit-cost ratio (BCR)