Proceedings of the 2022 Mississippi Water Resources Conference

Year: 2022 Authors: Vargas A., Singh G., Kaur G.

Groundwater resource is the most exploited resource for furrow irrigation used in Mississippi The overuse and excessive pumping from agriculture and fisheries has exceeded the natural water recharge of the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer. There is limited research available on the use of overhead irrigation systems in corn production systems in the Mississippi Delta. Therefore, understanding the relation between sensor-based irrigation scheduling and nitrogen management using a lateral move system is essential to effectively apply water and nitrogen (N) for sustainable production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of sensor-based irrigation with different nitrogen rates on corn yield and yield components. This study was conducted at Delta Research and Extension Center, Mississippi State University, Stoneville, MS in 2021. Treatments included in this study were three irrigation scheduling thresholds (-40, -70, and -100 kPa) and a rainfed treatment, four N rate applications (0, 112.3, 224.5, and 336.8 kg ha^-1), and two distinct soil textural classes (Sandy Loam and Clay). The experimental design was a 4✕4✕2 factorial arrangement of treatments in a randomized complete design, with five replications. Data collected included plant height, plant population, SPAD meter readings, corn biomass to estimate N uptake in irrigation and N rate treatments. At harvest, grain samples were collected to determine grain N uptake and grain quality. Corn grain yield was adjusted to 15.5% moisture. Data collected was analyzed using the GLIMMIX procedure in SAS statistical software at a p-value of 0.05. The results for this research will be presented at the conference.