Physiological Determination of Yield In Corn Hybrids Under Limited Irrigation In the Texas High Plains.

Corn is the major irrigated crop in the northern Texas High Plains and its production uses 53% of the entire regional water resources budget. Corn production has been sustained through irrigation, primarily from groundwater from the vast but declining Ogallala aquifer. As such, limited irrigation will be the primary production practice in the future for this region. Managing corn under limited irrigation is risky because water stress at certain growth stages cannot be avoided. The goal of this study is to sustain high yield while reducing irrigation water. Our objective is to investigate the physiological attributes of corn yield determination under limited irrigation management. A field experiment consisting of 3 commercial hybrids and 4 planting densities was established in 2010 with center pivot irrigation at the Texas AgriLife’s North Plains Research Field near Etter, TX. Measurements included soil water content at planting and harvest, biomass accumulation at pre- and post-silking, growth rate at silking, stay-green characteristics, yield, and harvest index. The results are key to understanding limited water production management for maximum grain yield under limited irrigation regimes.