FERTILIZER SCHEDULING EFFECTS ON CORN PRODUCTIVITY AND NUTRIENT UPTAKE UNDER SUBSURFACE DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of fertilizer and irrigation schedulingon corn yield, biomass and nutrient uptake under subsurface drip irrigation. Two irrigation regimes [irrigation at 50% field capacity (FC-50) and 80% field capacity (FC-80)] and three nutrient scheduling treatments [split application terminated at VT growth stage (NSVT); split application terminated at R2 growth stage (NS-R2); and no fertilizer application till V6 growth stage, followed by split application till VT growth stage (ES-VT)] were evaluated. The irrigation regime did not significantly impact yield and biomass, however, nutrient scheduling considerably affected yield and biomass with ES-VT recording the lowest yield and biomass while NS-R2 recorded the highest yield and biomass. Nutrient uptake was not influenced by the irrigation regime but was significantly influenced by nutrient scheduling.