Theses and Dissertations

Advisor

Gholson, Drew M.

Committee Member

Bond\, Jason A.

Committee Member

Bryant, Corey J.

Committee Member

Bowman, Hunter

Committee Member

Golden, Bobby

Date of Degree

12-12-2025

Original embargo terms

Visible MSU Only 1 year

Document Type

Dissertation - Campus Access Only

Major

Plant and Soil Sciences (Agronomy)

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Department

Department of Plant and Soil Sciences

Abstract

Water withdrawn from the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer (MRVAA) is predominantly used for agricultural irrigation purposes, with almost half of the water being delivered to rice (Oryza sativa L.) fields. To maintain the MRVAA as a sustainable water source, more efficient irrigation management practices should be employed for rice cultivation. Furrow-irrigated rice (FIR) has shown promise in growing rice with less water, but overall productivity and variability among agronomic characteristics of rice is still to be determined. This study was conducted from 2021 to 2023 at the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, MS, to determine an irrigation management plan in FIR, evaluating four irrigation frequencies: daily, every three, five, and seven days. Rice grain yield, agronomic characteristics, water level depths, water usage, and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) were determined with Pani-Pipes, Precision King AgSense Sensors, and flowmeters for each irrigation frequency overall and spatially within the treatment plots. Irrigating every day resulted in greater rice grain yield (11,009 kg ha-1) compared to irrigating every three (10,281 kg ha-1), five (9,908 kg ha-1), and seven (9,872 kg ha-1) days. Plots irrigated every day, or every three days produced significantly greater grain yields in the bottom zone compared to the top zone. Irrigation frequency did not interact with plant height (p = 0.4311) but was influenced by spatial zone (p = 0.0142). Milling yields showed no differences across irrigation frequencies or spatial zones. Water level depths are influenced by irrigation frequency (p = 0.0008), spatial zone (p < 0.0001), and irrigation frequency by spatial zone (p < 0.0001). The bottom zone of plots irrigated daily was the only irrigation frequency and spatial zone to keep water level depth above ground level at 2.77 cm. Plots irrigated every day had greater water usage of 0.36 ha m, but lower IWUE of 12.87 kg mm-1 ha-1. This study suggests that anytime water level depth drops below -5.08 cm (2022) or -2.54 cm (2023), rice grain yield would be negatively influenced. The overall objective of this study is to evaluate four irrigation frequencies (irrigating every 1-d, 3-d, 5-d, and 7-d) effect on rice grain yield, agronomic characteristics, and irrigation water factors in FIR.

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