Cultivation

Maize irrigation

Zea mays L. subsp. mays (Maize Group)

Irrigation of maize is critical for yield stabilization, especially during the 10 days before and 20 days after tasseling, when the plant absorbs up to 45% of its total water requirement. Timely irrigation during these phases prevents significant yield losses caused by stress.

In the reference 37 varieties crop Maize, where this is mentioned in the description.

Maize is most sensitive to moisture deficiency during the flowering and grain-filling periods, whereas water demand is moderate until the 10-12 leaf stage. During critical phases, even a short-term drought of 2-3 days can reduce yields by 20%, while a one-week stress can lead to losses of up to 50%. To ensure continuous water supply, overhead irrigation methods using high-clearance machines or drip irrigation systems—which allow for combining irrigation with fertigation—are employed.

The irrigation technology is based on monitoring the water balance and the plant's growth stage. For overhead irrigation, application rates must correspond to the soil's infiltration capacity to prevent runoff, and when equipment access to tall crops is not possible, pre-plant or seasonal water-recharging irrigation with volumes of 50-70 mm is used. As a C4 plant, maize uses water efficiently provided there is no moisture deficit during key phenological phases, demonstrating high tolerance to large-droplet sprinkler irrigation compared to small-seeded crops.

General information about the subject — on the page Irrigation.

Sources8

Varieties of Maize mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.