Dripline depth effects on corn production when crop establishment is nonlimiting
2005
Lamm, F.R. | Trooien, T.P.
A four-year yield study (1999-2002) was conducted to examine the effect of dripline depth on subsurface drip-irrigated field corn grown on the deep silt loam soils of western Kansas. An additional year (2003) was included in the analysis of long-term dripline flow rates and temperatures at the soil/water interface along the dripline. Germination of the field corn with the subsurface drip irrigation system was not examined in this field study. Results indicate that dripline depths ranging from 0.20 to 0.61 m are acceptable for field-corn production on silt loam soils in the region. Averaged over the 4 years of the study, yields were slightly less for the deepest (0.61 m) dripline depth and water use was slightly less for the 0.51- and 0.61-m depth compared to the 0.20-, 0.30-, and 0.41-m depths. There were no apparent effects of dripline depth on long-term flow rates. The results suggest that other factors external to the study might have a larger influence on selection of dripline installation depth. These other factors might include producer preferences, tillage schemes, rodent management, perceived need for surface wetting for germination, and installation draft requirements and costs.
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