Comparison of traditional and modern deficit irrigation techniques in corn cultivation using treated municipal wastewater

Purpose Declining water resources, increasing droughtperiod and increasing irrigated area cause a shift to deficitirrigated production which is not based on full waterrequirement. This study was conducted to investigate theimpacts of two different deficit irrigation methods,including traditional deficit irrigation (TDI) and partialroot-zone drying (PRD) on water use efficiency (WUE) incorn cultivations located at the lands close to the Shahrekordwastewater treatment plant.Methods A factorial design was employed, consisted offifteen treatments and three replications. The first factorwas three water applications, including 60, 80 and 100(control) percent of plant water requirement. The secondfactor was three water sources, including 100% fresh water(FW), 50% water and 50% wastewater (5050), 100%wastewater (WW). T-Tape irrigation type system was usedfor irrigation of corn (Zea mays L.). The third factor waswater management in three levels: full irrigation (FI), PRDand TDI.Results The result showed that dry and fresh weight, leafarea index (LAI), dry biomass percentage and WUE wereaffected by water requirement at 5% probability levelexpect of height plant that is affected at 1% probabilitylevel. Water quality was affected on all the study indicatorsof corn plant expect of WUE. WUE among PRD by deficitirrigation treatments were higher than TDI and it was theminimum in FI. The dry and wet weight and LAI weremaximum at FI and then PDR80 than TDI80. The height ofcorn plants were high at FI and TDI80 than PRD80.Conclusion Finally, wastewater application in treatmentnamed 5050-PRD80 and 5050-TDI80 compensated waterdeficit in WUE, LAI and dry biomass percentage. PRDmethod recognized more suitable than TDI for corn plants.