Temporal variability of the water requirement and productivity for irrigated maize crop

Abstract

There is a worldwide effort to produce food with less water consumption, due to scarcity trend of this resource. The study aimed to evaluate water productivity, simulated by the decision support model CSM-CERES-Maize, for irrigated maize sown at different dates. Simulations were made based on management conditions of Riacho´s Farm, located in Matozinhos, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. One observed large seasonal and interannual amplitude on crop water requirement and water productivity values. The highest water productivity values of 1.73 to 1.81 kgm-3 were observed between February 6th and 27th, a period that coincides with recommended maize crop sowing window in region. The simulation model proved to be a useful tool for planning and optimizing water resources use.

Keywords

• Water use efficiency
• simulation
• DSSAT
• Zea mays L.