Integrated water and nitrogen application increases summer maize (Zea mays L.) yield and water/nitrogen use efficiency under micro-sprinkling irrigation conditions

ABSTRACT

To improve the yield and water-nitrogen (N) use efficiency of summer maize, a two-year field experiment with four irrigation soil layers (0–10, 0–20, 0–30, and 0–40 cm, denoted as W₁₀, W₂₀, W₃₀, and W₄₀, respectively) and three N applications (180, 240, and 300 kg ha^–1, denoted as N₁₈₀, N₂₄₀, and N₃₀₀, respectively) was performed using micro-sprinkling irrigation system in 2018 and 2019. The interaction between water and N application significantly affects dry matter accumulation (DM). Under the same N application, the grain yield of W₁₀ was significantly lower than that of W₄₀. The irrigation amount and evapotranspiration for W₂₀N₁₈₀ and W₂₀N₂₄₀ significantly decreased by 47.18%–52.31% and 12.32%–12.68%, respectively, over that of W₄₀N₃₀₀, and water-use-efficiency (WUE) significantly increased by 7.75%–12.47%. Compared with N₁₈₀, the N partial factor productivity of N₂₄₀ and N₃₀₀ decreased by 21.02%~22.04% and 37.12%~38.24%, respectively; with no significant difference in yield. Grain yield was significantly positively correlated with leaf area index at tasseling, grains per ear, DM at maturity, and evapotranspiration. Overall, suitable irrigation (W₂₀) and N application (180–240 kg ha^–1) can achieve higher grain yield and WUE for summer maize in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China.

KEYWORDS:

• Huang–Huai–Hai plain (3HP)
• summer maize
• grain yield
• micro-sprinkling irrigation
• water/nitrogen use efficiency

Acknowledgements

We thank the anonymous reviewers and editors for their constructive comments on this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by the Major Scientific and Technological Innovation Project of Shandong Province (NO. 2019JZZY010716) and the Key Research and Development Program of Shandong Province (NO. 2018GNC111007).