Abstract:

In order to determine the effects of deficit irrigations and different tillage application methods on the yield and irrigation water use efficiency of silage maize, field experiments were conducted at Erzurum Pasinler plateau in 2015, 2016 and 2017 years. In the study, three different soil tillage techniques as C: Conventional Tillage, R: Reduced Tillage and N: No Tillage and four irrigation applications as I 1: 1,00 Full Irrigation, I 2: 0,75 Deficit Irrigation, I 3: 0,50 Deficit Irrigation and I 4: 0,25 Deficit Irrigation were investigated to effect of yields. Access tubes were installed to each sub plots for measuring irrigation water amounts at 90 cm soil depth. Neutron probe was used for monitoring of irrigation efficiencies at 0-30, 30-60 and 60-90 cm soil depth, before and after irrigation applications. Irrigations were immediately done for I 2, I 3 and I 4 treatments, while the available water content at the effective root zone reduced to 50 % of full irrigation, by using drip irrigation systems. Experimental results obtained from 2015, 2016 and 2017 years stated that no tillage subject and 0,75 deficit irrigation subject can be recommended to local producers in order to obtain economic efficiency in silage maize. After three years field studies, neutron probe calibration equation was found as r 2 = 0,7628 and volumetric soil water content formula as Y = 14,571 X + 0,3285.

Keywords: