Productivity and water use efficiency of no-till winter (rabi) maize (Zea mays) as influenced by drip-fertigation

A field trial was conducted for 4 consecutive winter seasons from 2007–08 to 2010–11 on sandy-loam soil to compare the effect of irrigation and nitrogen levels through drip system against conventional irrigation and fertilizer application method in winter (rabi) maize (Zea mays L.) grown in no-till condition at Warangal, Andhra Pradesh. The drip irrigation at 75% pan evaporation (PE) recorded higher kernel yield (7.37 t/ha) which was 39 and 8% more than that obtained with drip irrigation at 50% PE and furrow irrigation at 1.0 irrigation water: cumulative pan evaporation (IW:CPE) ratio respectively. Water-use efficiency was the maximum with drip irrigation at 50% PE (26.6 kg/ha-mm), while the nitrogen-use efficiency (50.3 kg kernel/kg nitrogen), production efficiency (65.4 kg/ha/day), N uptake (100.4 kg/ha), net returns ( 36,856/ha) and benefit: cost ratio (1.5) were higher with the scheduling of irrigation at 75% PE through drip irrigation. Application of 150 kg N/ha was found to be optimum, which showed kernel yield of 6.67 t/ha, production efficiency of 59.2 kg/ha/day, net returns of 30,400/ha and benefit: cost ratio of 1.2.