Effect of irrigation at different growth stages and nitrogen fertilizer on maize growth,yield and water use efficiency

【Objective】 The field experiment was conducted to study the effect of irrigation at different growth stages and nitrogen fertilizer on maize growth,yield and water use efficiency.【Method】 With Liyu 16 as test material,the field experiments included seven irrigation treatments(irrigation at the whole growth period,irrigation at seedling and jointing stage,irrigation at seedling and heading stage,irrigation at seedling and filling stage,irrigation at jointing and heading stage,irrigation at jointing and filling stage,irrigation at heading and filling stage) and three nitrogen levels(non-nitrogen,0 kg/hm2;low nitrogen,60 kg/hm2;high nitrogen,180 kg/hm2) to study the effect of irrigation at different growth stages and nitrogen fertilizer on maize growth,yield and water use efficiency.【Result】 There were some effects of irrigation at different growth stages and nitrogen fertilizer levels on plant height,leaf area,dry matter accumulation,yield and water use efficiency of maize.Compared with irrigation at the whole growth period(CK),there was significant reduction on the plant height,leaf area,dry matter accumulation,yield for irrigation at seedling+filling stage and irrigation at heading+filling stage,and the lowest water use efficiency.There was no significant decline in maize yield with irrigation treatment at seedling+jointing stage,seedling+heading stage,jointing+heading stage,but irrigation water use efficiency was greatly improved.【Conclusion】 In the test field,compared with irrigation at the whole growth period,there was no significant decrease of maize yield with irrigation treatment at seedling+jointing stage,seedling+heading stage,jointing+heading stage,but water use efficiency had been greatly improved.Nitrogen fertilizer had significant increase in maize yield and water use efficiency.