Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Optimizing irrigation and nitrogen requirements for maize through empirical modeling in semi-arid environment

  • Water Industry: Water-Energy-Health Nexus
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Uncertainty in future availability of irrigation water and regulation of nutrient amount, management strategies for irrigation and nitrogen (N) are essential to maximize the crop productivity. To study the response of irrigation and N on water productivity and economic return of maize (Zea mays L.) grain yield, an experiment was conducted at Water Management Research Center, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan in 2015 and 2016. Treatments included of full and three reduced levels of irrigation, with four rates of N fertilization. An empirical model was developed using observed grain yield for irrigation and N levels. Results from model and economic analysis showed that the N rates of 235, 229, 233, and 210 kg ha−1 were the most economical optimum N rates to achieve the economic yield of 9321, 8937, 5748, and 3493 kg ha−1 at 100%, 80%, 60%, and 40% irrigation levels, respectively. Economic optimum N rates were further explored to find out the optimum level of irrigation as a function of the total water applied using a quadratic equation. The results showed that 520 mm is the optimum level of irrigation for the entire growing season in 2015 and 2016. Results also revealed that yield is not significantly affected by reducing the irrigation from full irrigation to 80% of full irrigation. It is concluded from the study that the relationship between irrigation and N can be used for efficient management of irrigation and N and to reduce the losses of N to avoid the economic loss and environmental hazards. The empirical equation can help farmers to optimize irrigation and N to obtain maximum economic return in semi-arid regions with sandy loam soils.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbas G, Hussain A, Ahmad A, Wajid A (2005) Effect of irrigation schedules and nitrogen rates on yield and yield components of maize. J Agric Soc Sci 1:335–338

    Google Scholar 

  • Abu-allaban M, El-naqa A, Jaber M, Hammouri N (2015) Water scarcity impact of climate change in semi-arid regions: a case study in Mujib basin, Jordan. Arab J Geosci 8:951–959

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Agriculture management system punjab (2016) Cost of production of maize crop estimate under average conditions in the Punjab-Pakistan. Available at: http://www.amis.pk.htm

  • Amiri S, Gheysari M, Trooien TP (2015) Maize response to a deficit-irrigation strategy in a dry region. Agr Ecosyst Environ 5:1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Ashraf U, Salim MN, Sher A (2016) Maize growth, yield formation and water-nitrogen usage in response to varied irrigation and nitrogen supply under semi-arid climate. Turk J Agric For 21:88–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Bashir MT, Ali S, Ghauri M (2013) Impact of excessive nitrogen fertilizers on the environment and associated mitigation strategies. Asian J Microbiol Biotech Env Sc 15:213–221

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bastida F, Torres IF, Romero-Trigueros C (2017) Combined effects of reduced irrigation and water quality on the soil microbial community of a citrus orchard under semi-arid conditions. Soil Biol Biochem 104:226–237

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bennett JM, Mutti LSM, Rao PSC, Jones JW (1989) Interactive effects of nitrogen and water stresses on biomass accumulation, nitrogen uptake, and seed yield of maize. Field Crop Res 19:297–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biswas DK, Ma B (2016) Effect of nitrogen rate and fertilizer nitrogen source on physiology, yield, grain quality, and nitrogen use efficiency in corn. Can J Plant Sci 403:392–403

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bizikova L, Julie JP (2015) Review of key initiatives and approaches to adaptation planning at the national level in semi-arid areas. Reg Environ Chang 15:837–850

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bremne JM (1960) Method, determination of nitrogen in soil by the Kjeldahl. J Agric Sci 55:11–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Çakir R (2004) Effect of water stress at different development stages on vegetative and reproductive growth of corn. Field Crop Res 89:1–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cook S, Gichuki F, Turral H (2006) Water productivity: estimation at plot, farm and basin scale basin focal project working paper. Nutri Cycl Agroecosyst 5:144–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Derby NE, Steele DD, Terpstra J (2005) Interactions of nitrogen, weather, soil, and irrigation on corn yield. Agron J 97:1342–1351

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ding L, Wang KJ, Jiang GM et al (2005) Effects of nitrogen deficiency on photosynthetic traits of maize hybrids released in different years. Ann Bot 96:925–930

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Domínguez A, De Juan JA, Tarjuelo JM (2012) Determination of optimal regulated deficit irrigation strategies for maize in a semi-arid environment. Agric Water Manag 110:67–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • El Zubair RM, Fadlalla B, Hussien A (2015) Effect of different nitrogen fertilization levels on yield of maize (Zea mays L.) as winter forage. Int J Sci Technol Res 4:197–201

    Google Scholar 

  • Farooq M, Wahid A, Kobayashi N, Fujita D, Basra SMA (2009) Review article plant drought stress: effects, mechanisms and management. Agron Sustain Dev 29:185–212

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fereres E, De Rabanales CU (2007) Deficit irrigation for reducing agricultural water use. J Exp Bot 58:147–159

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Geerts S, Raes D (2009) Deficit irrigation as an on-farm strategy to maximize crop water productivity in dry areas. Agric Water Manag 96:1275–1284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzalez-Dugo V, Durand J-L, Gastal F (2010) Water deficit and nitrogen nutrition of crops. A review. Agron Sustain Dev 30:529–544

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Government of Pakistan (2017) Economic survey of Pakistan, economic advisory wing, finance division. Govt of Pakistan, Pakistan, pp 29–30

  • Hammad AH, Ahmad A, Azhar F (2011) Optimizing water and nitrogen requirement in maize (Zea mays L.) under semi arid conditions of Pakistan. Pak J Bot 43:2919–2923

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammad HM, Ahmad A, Abbas F, Farhad W (2012) Optimizing water and nitrogen use for maize production under semiarid conditions. Turk J Agric For 36:519–532

    Google Scholar 

  • Harder HJ, Carlson RE, Shaw RH (2002) Yield, yield components, and nutrient content of corn grain as influenced by post-silking moisture stress. Agron J 74:275–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hassan SW, Oad FC, Tunio SD (2010) Impact of nitrogen levels and application methods on agronomic, physiological and nutrient uptake traits of maize fodder. Pak J Bot 42:4095–4101

    Google Scholar 

  • Hirel B, Tétu T, Lea PJ, Dubois F (2011) Improving nitrogen use efficiency in crops for sustainable agriculture. sustainability 3:1452–1485

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Homer C and Pratt FP (1961) Methods of analysis for soils, plants and waters. Agricultural research division, 3rd edn. Wiley, New York, pp 1–76

  • Irmak S, Djaman K, Rudnick DR (2016) Effect of full and limited irrigation amount and frequency on subsurface drip - irrigated maize evapotranspiration, yield, water use efficiency and yield response factors. Irrig Sci 34:271–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson AI (1962) Methods of measuring soil moisture in the field, 2nd edn. Government Printing Office, USA, pp 1–24

  • Kaplan M, Baran O, Unlukara A (2016) The effect of different nitrogen doses and irrigation levels on yield, nutritive value, fermentation and gas production of corn silage. Turk J F Crop 21:100–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kar G, Kumar A, Mohapatra S (2014) Radiation utilization efficiency, nitrogen uptake and modeling crop growth and yield of rainfed rice under different nitrogen rates. J Indian Soc Soil Sci 62:108–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Karkanis PG (1983) Determining field capacity and wilting point using soil saturation by capillary rise. Can Agric Eng 25:19–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Khaliq T, Ahmad A, Hussain A, Ali MA (2009) Maize hybrids response to nitrogen rates at multiple locations in semiarid environment. Pak J Bot 41:207–224

    Google Scholar 

  • Khan HZ, Iqbal S, Iqbal A (2011) Response of maize (Zea mays L.) varieties to different levels of nitrogen. Crop Env 2:15–19

    Google Scholar 

  • Kibe AM, Singh S, Kalra N (2006) Water-nitrogen relationships for wheat growth and productivity in late sown conditions. Agric Water Manag 84:221–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kokab RU, Nawaz A (2013) Indus water treaty: need for review. Asian J Soc Sci 2:210–218

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuşçu H, Demir AO (2012) Responses of maize to full and limited irrigation at different plant growth stages. Tätigk ber Nat forsch Ges Baselland 27:15–27

    Google Scholar 

  • Majnooni-heris A, Nazemi AH, Sadraddini AA (2014) Effects of deficit irrigation on the yield, yield components, water and irrigation water use efficiency of spring canola. J Biol Environ Sci 5:44–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Mancosu N, Snyder RL, Kyriakakis G, Spano D (2015) Water scarcity and future challenges for food production. Water 7:975–992

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehlich A (1953) Determination of P, Ca, Mg, K, Na, and NH4. North Carolina Soil Test Division, USA, pp 23–89

  • Meskelu E, Mohammed M, Hordofa T (2014) Response of maize (Zea mays L.) for moisture stress condition at different growth stages. Int J Recent Res Life Sci 1:12–21

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monheit AC (2011) Running on empty. J Health Care Org 48:177–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Moodie G, Smith WRM (1959) Laboratory manual for soil fertility. Department of Agronomy, Washington State University, USA, pp 31–39

  • Naheed G, Mahmood A (2006) Water requirement of wheat crop in Pakistan. Pak J Meteorol 6:89–97

    Google Scholar 

  • Nguyen GN, Sutton BG (2009) Water deficit reduced fertility of young microspores resulting in a decline of viable mature pollen and grain set in rice. J Agron Crop Sci 195:11–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pandey RK, Maranville JW, Admou A (2000) Deficit irrigation and nitrogen effects on maize in a Sahelian environment I. Grain yield and yield components. Agric Water Manag 46:1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Randhawa MS, Maqsood M, Wajid SA, Anwar-ul-haq M (2012) Effect of integrated plant nutrition and irrigation scheduling on yield and yield component of maize (Zea mays L.). Pakistan journan Agric Sci 49:267–273

    Google Scholar 

  • Saeed U, Wajid SA, Khaliq T, Zahir ZA (2017) Optimizing irrigation and nitrogen for wheat through empirical modeling under semi-arid environment. Environ Sci Pollut Res 24:11663–11676

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sajedi N, Ardakani MR, Naderi A (2009) Response of maize to nutrients foliar application under water deficit stress conditions. Am J Agric Biol Sci 4:242–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SAS Institute (2013) SAS/STAT user’s guide: statistics, version 9.4. SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina State University, USA, pp 25–75

  • Sharar MS, Ayub M, Nadeem MA, Ahmad N (2003) Effect of different rates of nitrogen and phosphorus on growth and grain yield of maize (Zea mays L.). Asian J Plant Sci 2:347–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh J, Hadda MS (2016) Physiological growth indices of maize under semi-arid irrigated conditions as influenced by subsoil compaction and physiological growth indices of maize under semi-arid irrigated conditions as influenced by subsoil compaction and nitrogen. Proc Int Congr Ecol 10:15–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Skogerboe G V, Hyatt ML, Anderson RK, Eggleston KO (1967) Design and calibration of submerged open channel flow measurement structures: part 3-cutthroat flumes, 3rd edn. Utah State University Logan, Utah, pp 1-36

  • Tah M, Tanv A, A A WA (2008) Comparative yield performance of different maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids under local conditions of Faisalabad-Pakistan. Pak J life Sci 6:118–120

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang GL, Ye YL, Chen XP, Cui ZL (2014) Determining the optimal nitrogen rate for summer maize in China by integrating agronomic, economic, and environmental aspects. Biogeosciences 11:3031–3041

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Watson DJ (1947) Comparative physiological studies on the growth of field crops. 1. Variation in net assimilation rate and leaf area between species and varieties, and within and between years. Ann Bot 11:41–76

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wight JR, Hanks RJ (2003) A water-balance, climate model for range herbage production. J Range Manag 34:307–311

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xiukang W (2017) Effects of irrigation and nitrogen on maize growth and yield components. Glob Chang Nat Dis Mang Geo Info Tech 5: 63–74

  • Yin G, Gu J, Zhang F (2014) Maize yield response to water supply and fertilizer input in a semi-arid environment of Northeast China. PLoS One 9:1–6

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the staff of Water Management Research Institute (WMRI), University of Agriculture Faisalabad-Pakistan (UAF) for their support in conducting the experiment. The authors would like to thank all researchers of Agro-Climatology Lab, Department of Agronomy, UAF, for technical guidance. We also thank to Mr. Mohammad Hassan Fallah of Research Scientist Crop Ecology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran for helping us in statistical data analysis.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agro-Climatology Lab. Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Ishfaq Ahmad, Syed Aftab Wajid & Ashfaq Ahmad

  2. Department of Irrigation & Drainage, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Muhammad Jehanzeb Masud Cheema

  3. Center for Remote Sensing, Agricultural & Biological Engineering Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA

    Jasmeet Judge

Authors
  1. Ishfaq Ahmad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Syed Aftab Wajid
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ashfaq Ahmad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Muhammad Jehanzeb Masud Cheema
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jasmeet Judge
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ishfaq Ahmad.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ahmad, I., Wajid, S.A., Ahmad, A. et al. Optimizing irrigation and nitrogen requirements for maize through empirical modeling in semi-arid environment. Environ Sci Pollut Res 26, 1227–1237 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2772-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-2772-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation