Eid, S.M.; M.M.I. Nassr; S.A. El-Saady and A.A.EL- Araby( 2009). Saving irrigation water and reducing mineral fertilization for maize using rice straw compostJ. Agric. Sci. Mansoura Univ., 34 (12): 11549 - 11559, 2009
Abstract: Two field experiments were carried out at Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, during two successive seasons of 2007 and 2008. The objectives of the present study are increasing maize yield, decreasing the applied mineral fertilizer and saving irrigation water. Maize (hybrid single cross 10) was evaluated in a split plot design with four replicates. The main plots were assigned to three irrigation intervals, irrigation every (10 (I1), 15 (I2) and 20 days (I3)). The sub plots were assigned to three fertilization treatments of F1 (application of the recommended dose of mineral NPK fertilizer ,120, 30 and 48 unit/fed. for N, P and K, respectively). F2 (5 ton/fed. Rice straw compost augmented with organic activator + 75% of the recommended mineral fert. 90, 22.5 and 36 unit/fed. NPK). F3 (10 ton/fed. rice straw compost augmented with organic activator + 50% of the recommended mineral fert. 60, 15 and 24 for N P K, respectively).
The results can be summarized as follows:
1.Irrigation treatment I3 was the best treatment since it saved water irrigation of about 19.8% (497 m3) and had no significant decrease in maize grain yield compared to the traditional irrigation treatment (I2)
2.The highest maize yield value of 4113.43 kg/fed. was obtained with I2F3 treatment, while the lowest one was with I1F2¬.
3.The highest water productivity (WP) of 1.92 kg/m3 was obtained with I3F3 treatment.
Keywords: (Saving irrigation water, Maize yield, Rice straw compost, Water productivity.)
