YIELD AND WATER RELATIONS OF COTTON–MAIZE CROPPING SEQUENCE UNDER DEFICIT IRRIGATION USING DRIP SYSTEM

Abstract

ABSTRACT The assessment of water use efficiency and crop performance of cotton–maize cropping sequence under deficit irrigation has not been thoroughly studied in India. Field experiments were conducted at the Agricultural College and Research Institute, Coimbatore, during 2007–2009 to study the effect of deficit irrigation practices through a drip irrigation system on crop productivity, and the water use efficiency of cotton–maize cropping sequence. Experimental treatments comprised of six irrigation levels (full and deficit) through a drip system, with surface irrigation as one of the treatments for comparison. Maize was sown after hybrid cotton, under no‐till conditions, without disturbing the raised bed and drip layout. Among deficit irrigation practices, mild deficit (ADI at 100% ETc once in three days) registered higher values for seed cotton yield (3670–3760 kg ha ‐1 ), grain yield of maize (7420–7590 kg ha ‐1 ) and water use efficiency (9.0 and 18.0–20.4 kg ha ‐1 mm ‐1 for cotton and maize, respectively). A significant second‐degree polynomial relationship between crop yields and water use (WU) was found for both the crops. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.