Drought-Tolerant and Short-Season Corn Hybrids to Mitigate Risk, Optimize Yield and Profit, while Increasing Water Use Efficiency

Author

John Joseph Williams

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Henry, W. Brien

Committee Member

Reynolds, Daniel B.

Committee Member

Varco, Jac J.

Committee Member

Krutz, L. Jason

Committee Member

Falconer, Lawrence L.

Date of Degree

5-4-2018

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Plant and Soil Sciences (Agronomy)

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Department

Department of Plant and Soil Sciences

Abstract

The Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MRVAA) aquifer is the principal water source for Mid-South irrigators, but the current rate of withdrawal from the aquifer is not sustainable. Means to increase the sustainability of the MRVAA is to improve corn’s water use efficiency (WUE) while, concurrently, maintaining or improving profitability. The objectives of this experiment were to determine the effects of sensor-based irrigation threshold, planting date, and hybrid on corn grain yield, WUE, and net returns above seed and irrigation cost. Season long irrigation thresholds of -50 kPa full irrigation (FI) and -125 kPa limited irrigation (LI) were used, utilizing furrow irrigation. In conclusion, utilizing a delayed irrigation trigger of -125 kPa decreases grain yield and, ultimately, net returns in years with less naturally occurring rainfall, but increases WUE. Shifting the planting date earlier and using full-season (FS) hybrids, increases grain yield, WUE, and net returns.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/17596

Recommended Citation

Williams, John Joseph, "Drought-Tolerant and Short-Season Corn Hybrids to Mitigate Risk, Optimize Yield and Profit, while Increasing Water Use Efficiency" (2018). Theses and Dissertations. 1581.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/1581