EFFECT OF DEFICIT IRRIGATION AND DRIP EMITTER SPACING ON SOIL MOISTURE, YIELD AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY OF MAIZE (ZEA MAYS) UNDER SEMI-ARID CONDITION

An experiment was conducted at the Entomology block (E8) of the Main Agricultural Research Station (MARS), University of Agricultural Sciences (UAS), Raichur during the late Rabi season of 2019-20 to standardize micro irrigation techniques for maize cultivation.The study encompassed three replications with main treatments focusing on emitter spacing (0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 m) and sub-treatments involving different Evapotranspiration (ET) levels (0.6, 0.8, and 1.0).Maize sowing commenced on January 8, 2020, and soil moisture readings were recorded at 60 days after sowing (DAS).Results indicated that the 0.3 m emitter spacing recorded the highest soil moisture content at 60 DAS.Furthermore, the 1.0 ET level treatment exhibited the highest soil moisture levels across all locations.Regarding grain yield, the 0.4 m emitter spacing significantly outperformed both 0.3 and 0.5 m spacings, while the 1.0 ET level recorded the highest yield.Interaction effects revealed that the combination of 0.4 m emitter spacing with 1.0 ET level yielded the highest grain output.Additionally, water use efficiency (WUE) was highest at the 0.4 m emitter spacing and 0.6 ET level, emphasizing the importance of optimal irrigation practices for enhancing maize productivity.