The Effect of Different Irrigation Levels on the Yield and Some Quality Traits of Maize Cultivars

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 5, 687 - 693, 15.09.2025

Niyazi Danişmant , Zeki Mut , Özge Doğanay Erbaş Köse

https://doi.org/10.47115/bsagriculture.1693299

Abstract

This study was conducted in 2023 under the conditions of Eskisehir to determine the effects of different irrigation levels on the yield and quality traits of maize cultivars. Three maize cultivars (P0937, P0900, DKC5812) were subjected to five different irrigation levels (171, 342, 513, 684, and 855 mm). The experiment was designed as a split-plot arrangement with maize varieties as the main plots and irrigation levels as the subplots, replicated three times. According to the results obtained from the experiment, statistically significant differences were found among the cultivars in terms of plant height, first ear height, ear length, thousand-kernel weight, test weight, protein content, and starch content. Additionally, statistically significant differences were observed among the irrigation levels in terms of plant height, first ear height, ear length, ear diameter, thousand-kernel weight, test weight, fat content, protein content, and starch content. Concerning irrigation levels, plant height ranged from 206.0 cm (171 mm) to 282.3 cm (855 mm), first ear height ranged from 97.4 (171 mm) to 128.3 cm (513 mm), ear diameter ranged from 44.8 (171 mm) to 50.6 mm (855 mm), grain yield ranged from 800.7 (171 mm) to 1606.0 kg da⁻¹ (855 mm), thousand-kernel weight varied from 232.2 (171 mm) to 316.3 g (855 mm), test weight ranged from 76.0 (171 mm) to 78.3 kg (684 mm), ash content varied between 1.30 (855 mm) and 1.35% (171 and 342 mm), fat content ranged from 3.54 (855 mm) to 3.80% (171 mm), protein content varied from 8.03 (855 mm) to 9.72% (171 mm), and starch content ranged from 73.42 (171 mm) to 74.61% (855 mm). Increasing irrigation levels generally had positive effects on yield components such as plant growth, ear development, and kernel yield. However, negative effects of irrigation were also observed in quality components such as protein and fat content. This highlights the necessity of considering not only yield improvement but also product quality when determining irrigation strategies. Therefore, when formulating irrigation strategies, a balance between yield and quality must be achieved, and the water response of each maize cultivar should be considered.

Keywords

Corn , Grain , Yield , Quality , Irrigation , Variety

Ethical Statement

Since no studies involving humans or animals were conducted, ethical committee approval was not required for this study.

Thanks

This article is derived from the master's thesis study of Niyazi Danişmant, who completed his M.Sc. in the Department of Field Crops at Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University.

References

• AACC. 2020. International approved methods of analysis. https://www.cerealsgrains.org/resources/Methods/Pages/default.aspx (accessed date: October 21, 2020)
• Ali Q, Ashraf M, Anwar F. 2010. Seed composition and seed oil antioxidant activity of maize under water stress. J Am Oil Chem Soc, 87(10):1179-1187.
• AOAC. 2012. Official methods of analysis (19th ed.). Association of Official Chemists, Washington D.C., USA, pp:45-59.
• Anonymous. 2018. Technıcal ınstructıons for measurıng agrıcultural values, https://www.tarimorman.gov.tr/BUGEM/TTSM/Belgeler/Tescil/Teknik%20Talimatlar/S%C4%B1cak%20%C4%B0klim%20Tah%C4%B1llar%C4%B1/MISIR_TEKNIK_TALIMATI.pdf
• Arıoglu R, Erekul O. 2022. Effect of different irrigation levels on yield and quality of corn varieties (Zea mays L.) under Aydin ecological conditions. J Adnan Menderes Univ Agric Fac, 19(1):161-166.
• Ashine ET, Bedane MT, Kedir Chota M, Admassu R. 2024. Effect of deficit irrigation on maize (Zea mays L.) crop under conventional, fixed, and alternate furrow irrigation for effective irrigation water management. Air Soil Water Res, 17:11786221241254289.
• Ayrancı R, Sade B. 2004. The determination of dent hybrid corn cultivars (Zea mays L. indentata Sturt.) grown under Konya ecological conditions. J Crop Res, 2(1):6-14.
• Beckles DM, Thitisaksakul M. 2014. How environmental stress affects starch composition and functionality in cereal endosperm. Starch-Starke, 66(1-2):58-71.
• Cakır R. 2004. Effect of water stress at different development stages on vegetative and reproductive growth of corn. Field Crops Res, 89:1-16.
• Cakmak B. 2002. Assessment of irrigation system performance in irrigation associations, Kızılırmak Basin. KSU J Sci Eng, 5(2):130-141.
• Cetin A, Soylu S. 2021. Determination of genotype × environment interactions of yield and yield components in maize. Wheat Stud, 10(1):40-56.
• Dag F, Mut Z, Erbas Köse ÖD. 2024. Farklı lokasyonlarda yetiştirilen mısıra mikrobiyal gübre uygulamasının etkisi: i. verim ve verim unsurları. ISPEC Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 8(1), 72-80.
• Demir M, Sarıyev A, Acar M, Sesveren S, Wahab TS. 2021. A greenhouse study on some growth parameters of hybrid corn varieties under deficit irrigation. Cukurova J Agric Food Sci, 36(2):391-404.
• FAO. 2022. Food and Agriculture Organization. http://www.fao.org (accessed date: November 20, 2024)
• Fereres E, Soriano MA. 2007. Deficit irrigation for reducing agricultural water use. J Exp Bot, 58(2):147-159.
• Fischer RA, Byerlee D, Edmeades GO. 2014. Crop yields and global food security: Will yield increases continue to feed the world? ACIAR Monogr, 158:634-11, 1031-4012.
• Gonulal E, Soylu S, Sahin M. 2021. Effects of irrigation termination dates on grain yield, kernel moisture at harvest and some agronomic traits on maize. Harran J Agric Food Sci, 25(1):100-108.
• Han K, Han X, Curtis DJ, Kleinman PJ, Wang D, Wang L. 2016. Impact of irrigation, nitrogen fertilization, and spatial management on maize. Agron J, 108(5):1794-1804.
• Idikut L, Ekinci M, Gencoglan C. 2020. Determination of ear characteristics and grain quality criteria of hybrid corn varieties. Nevsehir J Sci Technol, 9(2):142-153.
• Kale H, Kaplan M, Ulger I, Unlukara A, Akar T. 2018. Feed value of maize (Zea mays var. indentata (Sturtev.) LH Bailey) grain under different irrigation levels and nitrogen doses. Turk J Field Crops, 23(1):56-61.
• Kaplan M, Karaman K, Kardes YM, Kale H. 2019. Phytic acid content and starch properties of maize (Zea mays L.): Effects of irrigation process and nitrogen fertilizer. Food Chem, 283:375-380.
• Karasu A, Kuscu H, Bayram G. 2015. The effect of different irrigation water levels on grain yield, yield components and some quality parameters of silage maize (Zea mays indentata Sturt.). Not Bot Horti Agrobo, 43(1):138-145.
• Karasahin M, Sade B. 2011. Effects of different ırrigation methods on grain yield and yield components in hybrid maize (Zea mays L. indentata S.). Uludag University Journal of Agriculture Faculty, 25(2), 47-56.
• Kresović B, Gajić B, Tapanarova A, Dugalic G. 2018. How irrigation water affects the yield and nutritional quality of maize (Zea mays L.) in a temperate climate. Pol J Environ Stud, 27(3):1123-1131.
• Kuscu H. 2010. Effects of deficit irrigation on yield and yield components of maize grown under Bursa conditions. MSc thesis, Uludag Univ, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Bursa,Türkiye pp: 1-190.
• Marković M, Josipović M, Šoštarić J, Jambrović A, Brkić A. 2017. Response of maize (Zea mays L.) grain yield and yield components to irrigation and nitrogen fertilization. J Cent Eur Agric, 18(1):55-72.
• Mut Z, Kardes YM, Erbas Kose OD. 2022. Determining the grain yield and nutritional composition of maize cultivars in different growing groups. Turk J Field Crops, 27(1):158-166.
• NeSmith DS, Ritchie JT. 1992. Short-term and long-term responses of corn to a pre-anthesis soil-water deficit. Agron J, 84:107-113.
• Ozturk A, Ozata E, Erdal S, Pamukcu M. 2019. Utilization and future of special corn types in Türkiye. Int J East Mediterr Agric Res, 2(1):75-90.
• Pinnamaneni SR, Anapalli SS, Reddy K. 2023. Effect of irrigation regimes and planting patterns on maize production in humid climates. Agron J, 115(3):1085-1096.
• Simić D, Pejić B, Bekavac G, Mačkić K, Vojnov B, Bajić I, Sikora V. 2023. Effect of different ET-based irrigation scheduling on grain yield and water use efficiency of drip irrigated maize. Agriculture, 13(10):1994.
• Song L, Jin J, He J. 2019. Effects of severe water stress on maize growth processes in the field. Sustainability, 11(18):5086.
• Ucan K. 2000. The irrigation and drainage problems of the farmers in Kahramanmaras irrigation area. KSU J Sci Eng, 3(1-2):83-94.
• Ullah I, Ali M, Farooqi A. 2010. Chemical and nutritional properties of some maize (Zea mays L.) varieties grown in NWFP, Pakistan. Pak J Nutr, 9(11):1113-1117.
• Ulus G, Koca YO. 2023. Determination of yield and quality of corn varieties (Zea mays L.) in Menemen location. J Inst Sci Technol, 13(3):2251-2263.
• Vartanlı S, Emeklier HY. 2007. Determination of the yield and quality characteristics of hybrid maize varieties under Ankara conditions. J Agric Sci, 13(3):195-202.
• Wang LF, Yao JH, Zhang JK, Zhang SJ, Lu RQ, Zhu ZK, Zhang SL. 2017. Activity of corn silk at different days after silk emergence. Agric Sci Technol Changsha, 18(12):2212-2218.
• Wanjura DF, Upchurch DR, Lascano RJ. 2003. Subsurface drip irrigation of cotton using time thresholds. In: Proc 2003 Beltwide Cotton Conf, 2003, New Orleans, USA, pp:554-562.
• Yang T, Zhao J, Fu Q. 2024. Quantitative relationship of plant height and leaf area index of spring maize under different water and nitrogen treatments based on effective accumulated temperature. Agronomy, 14(5):1018.