Maize Irrigation Study, 1982, Georgia Coastal Plain

Yield Comparisons:
Study:
  • Crop: Corn (Maize) - 'Dekalb x171'
  • Year: 1982
  • Location: USA, GA, Tift County, Gopher Ridge Farm, Blocks I1 & I2
  • Soil Type, USDA Series: Bonifay sand
  • Meteorological Observations: Gopher Ridge, 82

Research Objectives:

    1. Evaluate the ability of a crop computer model to predict when to irrigate.
    2. Evaluate the ability of a simple fixed irrigation schedule to meet water needs of corn.
    3. Observe water infiltration and water extraction patterns resulting from the irrigation and rainfall.
    4. Measure canopy temperature and visible wilting for preliminary calibration of infra-red thermometry.
    5. Evaluate the operation of commercial tensiometers under normal field conditions.
    6. Measure corn growth coefficients for future refinement of models in S.E. corn.
Treatments:
I1:
 1.Lambert model, 50% ad
 2.Tensiometer - deep (45-60 cm), .3bar
 3.Control - Tensiometer - shallow (20-30 cm), .3bar
 4.No irrigation
I2:
 1.Lambert model, 70% ad
 2.Tensiometer - deep (45-60 cm), .3bar
 3.Control - Tensiometer - shallow (20-30 cm), .3bar
 4.Tensiometer - variable (20-60 cm), .3bar

Basic Crop Management: PLANTED - 10 Mar 1982 (rows 0.9m apart); HARVEST - 21 Jul 1982 (2-row grain combine); TILLAGE - Moldboard Plow (30 cm deep plus smoothing and bed shaping), wheel traffic controlled at 1.2 m centers; FERTILIZATION - Typical Extension Recommended Rate; WEED & PEST CONTROL: Typical Extension Recommendations.
Chronological Treatment and Observation Details

Observations and data sets for individual treatments (crop years) follow:
I1 Treatment 1:
 Lambert model, 50% ad
  • Irrigation Dates and Amounts: Text Format;
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 Mar 1982; Pollination (R2) - 31 May 1982; Maturity (Black layer) - 06 Jul 1982
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
  • Yield Corn Grain, 15.5% moisture, T/ha: Average - 12.09; Individual plots - 13.69, 12.87, 11.58, 10.21 Text File
I1 Treatment 2:
 Tensiometer - deep (45-60 cm), .3bar
  • Irrigation Dates and Amounts: Text Format;
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 Mar 1982; Pollination (R2) - 31 May 1982; Maturity (Black layer) - 06 Jul 1982
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
  • Yield Corn Grain, 15.5% moisture, T/ha: Average - 11.55; Individual plots - 13.74, 10.81, 10.47, 11.16 Text File
I1 Treatment 3:
 Control - Tensiometer - shallow (20-30 cm), .3bar
  • Irrigation Dates and Amounts: Text Format;
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 Mar 1982; Pollination (R2) - 31 May 1982; Maturity (Black layer) - 06 Jul 1982
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
  • Yield Corn Grain, 15.5% moisture, T/ha: Average - 11.65; Individual plots - 11.71, 12.00, 9.90, 12.97 Text File
I1 Treatment 4:
 No irrigation
  • Irrigation Dates and Amounts: Text Format;
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 Mar 1982; Pollination (R2) - 31 May 1982; Maturity (Black layer) - 06 Jul 1982
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
  • Yield Corn Grain, 15.5% moisture, T/ha: Average - 6.60; Individual plots - 5.78; 6.53; 7.64; 6.41 Text File
I2 Treatment 1:
 Lambert model, 70% ad
  • Irrigation Dates and Amounts: Text Format;
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 Mar 1982; Pollination (R2) - 31 May 1982; Maturity (Black layer) - 06 Jul 1982
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
  • Yield Corn Grain, 15.5% moisture, T/ha: Average - 12.65; Individual plots - 13.16, 12.26, 13.17, 11.97 Text File
I2 Treatment 2:
 Tensiometer - deep (45-60 cm), .3bar
  • Irrigation Dates and Amounts: Text Format;
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 Mar 1982; Pollination (R2) - 31 May 1982; Maturity (Black layer) - 06 Jul 1982
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
  • Yield Corn Grain, 15.5% moisture, T/ha: Average - 12.80; Individual plots - 13.42, 12.74, 12.35, 12.69 Text File
I2 Treatment 3:
 Control - Tensiometer - shallow (20-30 cm), .3bar
  • Irrigation Dates and Amounts: Text Format;
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 Mar 1982; Pollination (R2) - 31 May 1982; Maturity (Black layer) - 06 Jul 1982
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
  • Yield Corn Grain, 15.5% moisture, T/ha: Average - 13.39; Individual plots - 13.35, 12.98, 12.21, 15.03 Text File
I2 Treatment 4:
 Tensiometer - variable (20-60 cm), .3bar
  • Irrigation Dates and Amounts: Text Format;
  • Phenology: Emergence - 18 Mar 1982; Pollination (R2) - 31 May 1982; Maturity (Black layer) - 06 Jul 1982
  • Stand Count:
  • Soil Water Pressure Observations: Tensiometer & Gypsum Block
  • Yield Corn Grain, 15.5% moisture, T/ha: Average - 11.95; Individual plots - 11.89, 12.25, 11.41, 12.24 Text File
For more information on the study and its interpretation contact:
Dr. Jim Hook Professor, Soil and Water Management
Crop and Soil Sciences Department and NESPAL
The University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
P.O. Box 748, Tifton, GA 31793-0748
e-mail: jimhook@tifton.cpes.peachnet.edu

Page developed by James E. Hook, Amanda Richards, and Linsey Forlow.
Last Modified on 29 June 2000.