Student/presenter: Arjun Kafle, Ph.D. student, Horticulture
Format: Poster presentation
Title: Biomass partitioning and water use efficiency of sweet corn under growth stage based irrigation and biochar rates in West Texas
Arjun Kafle, Sukhbir Singh, Manpreet Singh
Texas Tech University, Department of Plant & Soil Science
Efficient irrigation scheduling that target to meet water requirements at a critical period for crops like sweet corn can help to sustain yield as well as save water in water-scarce areas like West Texas. Biochar as a soil amendment has been used in agricultural production, however, the combined effects of reduced irrigation and biochar on crop growth and water-use efficiency (WUE) have not been fully understood. The experiment was conducted at Quaker farm of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas from April through August 2021 to examine the effect of growth stage-based irrigation management and biochar rates on biomass partitioning and WUE of sweet corn. Experimental units were randomized four times in a split-plot design with irrigation levels I1 [100% crop evapotranspiration (ETc) before 50% tasseling (55 DAP)-100% ETc after tasseling], I2 [80-60% ETc], I3 [60-80% ETc], I4 [40-40% ETc] as main plot factor and biochar rates (0 t/ha as control, 15 t/ha and 20 t/ha) as sub-plot factor. Biomass partitioning was measured at 36 DAP (days after planting), 45 DAP, 60 DAP, and 75 DAP. Results showed that, in 36 DAP and 45 DAP, I2 seems to accumulate more biomass to leaves and stems than other irrigation treatments. However, after tasseling, at 60 DAP, I1 outnumbered on the total biomass accumulation with significantly higher accumulation in stem compared to other irrigations. At 75 DAP, the biomass accumulation to cob in and I1 and I3 were comparable providing a similar total biomass accumulation. At 60 DAP, biomass accumulation in tassel was significantly higher in biochar treatments than in control. The WUE was comparable between I1 and I3. Results suggest that high biomass accumulation and WUE in sweet corn can be achieved by stressing more at the vegetative stage and less at the reproductive stage in West Texas.