College - Author 1
College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Department - Author 1
Agricultural Education and Communication Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Agricultural Science
Date
2-2013
Primary Advisor
Bill Kellogg
Abstract/Summary
Abstract
Silage corn yields are limited by irrigation effectiveness in the Central Valley of California. This experiment was conducted to determine if silage yield would suffer after altering irrigation methods and timing. The effects of irrigation method and timing were tested on field corn [Zea mays (DKC 67-86)]. The study was carried out in Denair, California on a Whitney Rocklin sandy loam. Silage tonnage, grain yield, and plant height were compared across four treatments with three repetitions of each treatment. The treatments were every other row, the grower’s standard practice, deficit, and a control. The experiment showed that every other row irrigation does not significantly hurt silage corn yields when compared to the control, with every row irrigated on the same schedule as every other row. Grain yield showed the most variation among the treatments with the control yielding an average of 225.71 bushels per acre, deficit yielding an average of 140.04 bushels per acre, and the other two treatments ranging in between. Overall, the experiment showed that more irrigations results in higher yielding corn, and every other row irrigation could be utilized to speed up the irrigation schedule.
Additional Index Words: Irrigation, furrow irrigation, every other row irrigation, silage corn, utilizing dairy lagoon water, estimating grain yield, Zea mays (DKC 67-86).
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/agedsp/19