| Abstrakt: |
Combining mulch and deficit irrigation may lead to an increase of crop yield and water productivity with water saving, especially in arid regions. For optimum maize production, soil moisture content, soil temperature and water productivity, an open field experiment conducted in 2017 and 2018 seasons. A split-plot design was used with four replications. Three mulch treatments namely [black mulched trickle irrigation (BMT), transparent mulched trickle irrigation (TMT) and trickle irrigation without mulching (WMT) as control] were allotted to the main plots, and three irrigation treatments [0.7, 0.85 and 1.0 evapotranspiration (ETc)] were devoted to sub-plot. The highest potential ETc was detected under WMT treatment with 1.0 ETc (13162 m³ ha-1), while the lowest ETc was registered under TMT treatment with 0.7 ETc (7983 m3 ha-1). On the other hand, for the second growing season, the highest and lowest potential ETc were (13338 and 8124 m³ ha-1) for WMT with 1.0 ETc and TMT with 0.7 ETc, respectively. The highest yield observed on 2017 were 11.39 and 9.37 ton ha-1 for BMT with 0.85 ETc and 1.0 ETc, respectively, while for 2018 growing seasons the highest yield observed were 11.27 and 9.82 ton ha-1 for BMT with 0.85 ETc and 1.0 ETc, respectively. The temperature values for soil were greater below the transparent mulch than below the black mulch. The increment of grain yield components by using the plastic mulching especially black plastic films comparing to open field may be due to stimulated root growth caused by increased soil temperature and moisture given under mulching coverings with plastic films, leading to increase grain yield per plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
