Drip-tape irrigation depth: water use efficiency, yield and forage quality in maize
- Autores: Pablo Preciado Rangel, Sergio Arturo Ortiz Diaz, Arturo Reyes González, Manuel Fortis Hernández, Jessica Janeth Rocha Santillano, Alma V. Ayala Garay
- Localización: Agro Productividad, ISSN-e 2594-0252, Vol. 17, Nº. 4, 2024 (Ejemplar dedicado a: Abril), págs. 127-135
- Idioma: inglés
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Resumen
Objective: to evaluate the effect of the drip-tape irrigation depth on the efficiency of water use, yield, nutritional quality and profitability of forage maize, a study was established by installing drip-tape at a depths 0.05, 0.15 and 0.30 meters. Design/ Methodology/ Approach: a randomized block experimental design was used. Treatments evaluated consisted of the installation of drip-tape at three depths 0.05, 0.15 and 0.30 m; each treatment in three replicates. The experimental unit was a 15 m2 surface (comprising four 5m-long furrows, with a 0.76 m separation between furrows). Results: results showed that with the drip-tape installed at a depth of 0.15 m, the highest biomass production and water use efficiency were obtained, without modifying the bromatological quality of the forage. However, the best benefit-cost ratio corresponded to the drip-tape installed at 0.3 m, recovering $1.27 for each MXN peso invested in crop production. Limitations/ Implications of the study: water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions is a global problem, so it is necessary to use irrigation methods that make water use more efficient without reducing crop yield. Findings/conclusions: the installation of the drip-tape at a depth of 0.15 m is recommended, due to the improvement in yield and water use efficiency without affecting nutritional quality of the forage or profitability of maize crop.
