International Journal for Asian Contemporary Research, 5(2): 41-47
Yield Quality and Water Use Efficiency of Maize as Affected by Deficit Irrigation Treatment
02 August, 2025 || Accepted: 28 August, 2025 || Published: 10 September, 2025
A B S T R A C T
Maize (Zea mays L.) is an essential crop for food, feed, and industry, particularly in regions like Bangladesh, where water scarcity is a growing concern. This study investigates the effects of deficit irrigation (DI) on maize growth, yield, and grain quality under varying water conditions. Conducted at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Rajshahi University using a split-plot experimental design with three replications. The experiment involved two maize varieties (V1 and V2) and four irrigation treatments based on pan evaporation: T1 (125%), T2 (100%), T3 (75%), and T4 (50%). Results showed significant reductions in plant height, total dry matter (TDM), and grain yield with decreasing irrigation levels. The highest grain yield of 12.07 t ha-1 was recorded under T1, while the lowest yield of 7.87 t ha-1 occurred under T4. Similarly, TDM was highest in T1 (141.60 g plant-1) and lowest in T4 (89.60 g plant-1). Carbohydrate content in grains increased under water stress, with T4 showing the highest carbohydrate content (69.07%), whereas protein content decreased, with the lowest protein content observed in T4 (9.52%). The results indicate that although deficit irrigation enhances water-use efficiency, it significantly reduces maize productivity and quality. The study highlights key physiological mechanisms, including reduced turgor pressure, limited photosynthesis, and resource reallocation, which contribute to these variations.
Keywords: Water Use Efficiency, Deficit irrigation, Pan evaporation and Nutritional quality.
Copyright information: Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
To cite this article: Rahman, T.M.R., Khan, M.T.A., Sharkar, M.N., Islam, M.M., Islam, M.R., Salahin,M., Yasmin, M.N. and Alam, A.M.S. (2025). Yield Quality and Water Use Efficiency of Maize as Affected by Deficit Irrigation Treatment. International Journal for Asian Contemporary Research, 5(2): 41-47.
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