Response of field Corn Culitvars after rice to Irrigation frequency and Mulching

Abstract

The productivity of corn grown after rice is other limited by water management due to less suitable amount and frequency of water applied and mulching methods. Field studies were conducted on sandy loam in the farm of Phitsanulok field Crops Experiment Station during 1996 and 1997 in dry season (December-April). The objectives of this study wee to determine the effect of the irrigation frequency and mulching methods on growth and grain yield of corn cultivars differing in maturity grown in paddy field under irrigated conditions. The results indicated that DK 888 in terms of late maturity cultivar produced approximately 15-80% higher grain yield than NST 89-101 as an early maturity cultivar. While the yield of maize grown under straw mulching was 77-120% greater than no-mulching treatment. The interaction between cultivars and mulching methods in yield was significant. The average grain yield decreased by 15} 24 and 28% with decreasing irrigation frequency from 7-days interval to 14, 21 and 28- dyas interval, respectively. In contract decreasing irrigation frequency increased total water use of 44, 54 and 62%, respectively. Plant height, yield components, total dry matter, leaf area index, anthesis interval index and water use efficiency were affected by irrigation frequency, mulching methods and corn cultivars, however, their interactions were not significant.