Abstract

Field experiments were carried out from December 1994 to March 1995 at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University to study the impact of maize planting geometry and on-off timings under cost free surge irrigation as compared to continuous flow and basin furrow method of farmers. The quantum of flow was 1.5 lps per furrow and the length of furrow was 150m. The single row planting geometry with higher volume of water consumption influenced the plant height, root volume in surge and continuous flow under two on-off timings of 10 and 15 minutes but not for 20 minutes. Farmers' method recorded increased plant height among the irrigation methods. There is reduction in plant height in sector 5 irrespective of planting geometry, irrigation methods and on-off timings. Single row planting geometry recorded increased cob length as compared to double row planting except on-off timings of 20 minutes. Single row recorded lower yield. Among the sectors, there was a progressive decrease from sector one to four and significant decrease in Sector 5 due to penultimate depression and increase in the last sector due to stagnation. Water saving under single row geometry was ranging from 15-22 per cent.

Keywords: Surge irrigation, Crop response, Geometry