Effects of Frequency of Irrigation on Dry-Season Furrow-Irrigated Maize and Peanut Production in the Rice-Growing Lowlands of the Lower Mekong Basin

• Published in: Agriculture (Basel) 2019-06, Vol.9 (6), p.128
• Main Authors: Ballester, Carlos, Vote, Camilla, Hornbuckle, John, Inthavong, Thavone, Lim, Vanndy, Oeurng, Chantha, Quayle, Wendy, Seng, Vang, Sengxua, Pheng, Sihathep, Vorachith, Touch, Veasna, Eberbach, Philip
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: irrigation; non-rice dry-season cropping; soil matric potential; soil water distribution; water productivity
• ISSN: 2077-0472; 2077-0472
• DOI: 10.3390/agriculture9060128

Incorporation of dry-season crops in the lowland production systems of the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) may provide local smallholder farmers the opportunity to increase household cash income through diversification. However, water availability and lowland rice-growing soil characteristics often limit the yield potential of dry-season crops in rotation with wet-season rice. This work studied the effects of three frequencies of irrigation on the crop performance of dry-season furrow-irrigated maize (Zea mays Linnaeus) and peanut (Arachis hypogaea Linnaeus) grown on lowland rice-growing soils in terms of biomass, yield and water productivity (WP). In addition, the response of maize to two fertiliser rates was evaluated. The study was carried out in sites with typical lowland rice-growing soils located in Cambodia and Laos. Soil matric potential (Ψm) was monitored during the season at the centre of the beds and percentage of canopy cover, aboveground biomass (AGB), yield and WP were determined. The results showed that within the first weeks of furrow irrigation (~two weeks after emergence), Ψm dropped considerably (