DETERMINATION OF CROP WATER STRESS INDEX OF AN EXTRA EARLY MAIZE VARIETY UNDER DIFFERENT IRRIGATION REGIMES IN KANO RIVER IRRIGATION PROJECT
The recognition of water stress on land and plants that arose from qualitative and quantitative restrictions on water resources are leading to an emphasis on developing methods that can help in crop management. A field research was conducted to determine the crop water stress index of maize crop (Zea Mays L.; SAMMAZ 29) under different irrigation scheduling using furrow irrigation. Randomized Complete Block Design was used and the experiment consisted of three levels of irrigation water application depth of 100%, 75% and 50% replacement of Total Available Water Capacity and three irrigation intervals of 7, 10 and 13 days replicated three times. Irrigation water was applied into each of 0.75m X 90m furrow using siphon tube of 7.5cm diameter and 200cm length while the soil moisture was monitored using soil moisture meter PMS-714 through an effective root zone depth of 75cm at intervals of 0-20cm, 20- 40cm and 40-75cm. The results showed that the most stressed crop was at I13D-50% with stress index of 1.00 and 1200 kg/ha yield while the fully watered crop was at I7D-100% with stress index of 0.00 and 3580 kg/ha yield. From the graph, a crop water stress index of 0.175 was obtained, which shows that treatments with stress index of less than or equal to 0.175 (≤ 0.175) were not stressed while those above 0.175 were stressed. The crop water stress index would be used for monitoring and quantifying water stress as well as for irrigation scheduling.
Authors : Suleiman, J., Lawal, M. and Dangora, N. D.
Category : Open Access Volume (Issue) : 7(1) Date Uploaded : 15th June 2021