Comparison of Fog Irrigation with Surface Irrigation in Corn Production
1974
Doss, B. D.
Water stress by plants during silking and ear development often affects the yield of corn (Zea mays L.). Water stress sometimes occurs during midday even with a relatively high soil water content. Field experiments were conducted for 3 years to determine the effect of fogging or mist irrigation alone, surface irrigation alone, and fogging plus surface irrigation on plant characteristics and grain and stover yields of corn. Plants received mist irrigation daily from 1000 until 1600 during silking and ear development. Surface irrigation was applied to maintain soil water at or above the 50% available level (0.8 bar) in the surface 60 cm of soil. An increase in grain yield was obtained in each of the 3 years with surface irrigation and in 2 of the 3 years with fogging or mist irrigation, but fogging in addition to surface irrigation did not increase grain yields above those for surface irrigation alone. Average grain yields for the 3 years were 6,200, 8,400, 9,200, and 9,500 kg/ha for no irrigation, fogging, surface, and fogging plus surface irrigation, respectively. Surface irrigation appears to be a much more efficient method of water application than fog irrigation since the amount applied as fog was almost twice the amount applied as surface irrigation.
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