Maize response to coupled irrigation and nitrogen fertilization under center pivot, subsurface drip and surface (furrow) irrigation: Soil-water dynamics and crop evapotranspiration

Determination of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and root zone soil-water dynamics/distribution coupled with nitrogen (N) management strategies is important for effective agricultural fields enhancing production efficiency. However, limited data knowledge exist that sufficiently inform how dynamics ETc response may vary irrigation levels different N application timings under methods . Extensive field experiments were conducted in 2016 2017 center pivot (CP), subsurface drip (SDI), furrow (FI) at full treatment (FIT), 80% FIT, 60% rainfed (RFT) timing treatments traditional (TN), non-traditional-1 (NT-1), non-traditional-2 (NT-2) to quantify compare seasonal maize (Zea mays L.) grain yield, dynamics, ETc, vs. total water supply relationships. Soil-water status plant extraction exhibited substantial differences between the methods. Irrigation method significantly (p < 0.05) influenced ETc. CP had higher than SDI; SDI FI. The NT-1 NT-2 TN. was greatly by availability more applications. slope inter-annual intra-annual variation treatments, methods, years. FI NT both years (except 2017). These findings can provide guidance improve efficiency considering • Coupled SDI, determined. All impacted SW irrig. primarily rather timing. showed magnitudes TN management. There strong relationships across highest slopes amounts observed order CP>FI>SDI.