Abstract

Field experiments were conducted during North East Monsoon season of 2002-03 and 2003-04 at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, to study the effect of supplemental irrigation, green manuring and nitrogen levels on growth, physiological parameters, dry matter accumulation and yield in dryland maize. Among supplemental irrigations, two supplemental irrigations given at tasseling and silking stages in 2002 and tasseling and soft dough stages in 2003 recorded significantly higher plant height at 90 DAS, dry matter production, crop growth rate (CGR), relative growth rate (RGR), net assimilation rate (NAR), and grain yield of 1389 and 1784 kg ha-1 during 2002 and 2003 respectively followed by one supplemental irrigation at tasseling stage in both the years. Among green manures intercropping with sunnhemp and incorporation at 45 DAS recorded higher plant height, DMP, grain yield (1103 and 1506 kg ha-1 in 2002 and 2003 respectively). Application of 40 kg N ha-1 recorded significantly higher DMP and grain yield of 1169 and 1588 kg ha-1 during 2002 and 2003 respectively

Keywords: Maize, Supplemental irrigation, Green manuring, Moisture stress, N levels, Run off collection, Physiological parameters, Yield.