Irrigation scheduling of maize (Zea Mays L.) under mulched conditions in semi-arid region

judicious use of water for enhancing crop productivity is prime importance in arid and semiarid regions of the world. Further, the increasing demand for water in agriculture coupled with the decline of the groundwater levels necessitates the development of proper irrigation schedules for different crops and cropping systems. Since the agriculture sector is the major consumer of water resources in India, it is imperative to determine crop coefficients and daily evapotranspiration for estimating crop water requirements to achieve better irrigation scheduling and water management practice in different crops. The efficacy of mulches in moisture conservation and the effect of the irrigation frequencies have been investigated in India in a segregated manner. However, reports in interaction effects of irrigation and mulches on water use patterns of crops in general and on maize particularly are limited and this necessitates initiating studies in this direction for improving the yield of maize. This research could be helpful for water management strategies in maize production in semi-arid regions.