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ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #404861
Research Project: Dryland and Irrigated Crop Management Under Limited Water Availability and Drought

Location: Soil and Water Management Research

Title: Corn response to later than traditional planting dates in the Texas High Plains

Author
item JIANG, WEN - Qingdao Agricultural University
item THAPA, SUSHIL - Texas A&M Agrilife
item JESSUP, KIRK - Texas A&M Agrilife
item HAO, BAOZHEN - Xinjiang University
item HOU, XIAOBO - University Of Arizona
item MAREK, THOMAS - Texas A&M Agrilife
item BECKER, JACOB - Dupont Pioneer Hi-Bred
item BELL, JOURDAN - Texas A&M Agrilife
item XUE, QINGWU - Texas A&M Agrilife

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/6/2020
Publication Date: 3/5/2020
Citation: Jiang, W., Thapa, S., Jessup, K., Hao, B., Hou, X., Marek, T., Becker, J., Bell, J., Xue, Q. 2020. Corn response to later than traditional planting dates in the Texas High Plains. Crop Science. 60(2):1004-1020. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20042.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.20042

Interpretive Summary: Groundwater availability from the Ogallala Aquifer for irrigation is declining. Farmers are seeking crop variety choice and production practices that optimize yields for the irrigation water applied. Working in a project funded by the USDA ARS Ogallala Aquifer Program, scientists from Texas A&M AgriLife, Qingdao Agricultural University, Xinxiang Univ. and DuPont Pioneer investigated the effects of corn hybrid choice and planting date on irrigated corn performance on the Texas High Plains. When planted early, long season hybrids had greater yields (210-260 bushels/ acre) than short-season hybrids (160-230 bushels/acre). But when planted late, short-season hybrids had a yield advantage (140-190 bushels/acre) over long-season hybrids (70-170 bushels/acre). Late planting resulted in 25% less crop water use. With water limitations increasing, further study is warranted on planting short-season hybrids after mid-June to reduce water use and irrigation.

Technical Abstract: Planting date (PD) can significantly affect corn (Zea mays L.) yield. Our objective was to investigate the effects of hybrid and PD later than traditional time on irrigated corn performance in the Texas High Plains. A 2-yr field study was conducted using four (2013) to six (2014) hybrids and four PDs (mid-May [PD1], late May–early June [PD2], mid-June [PD3], and late June–early July [PD4]). In PD1 and PD2, long-season hybrids had greater yields (12–15 Mg ha-1) than short-season hybrids (9–13 Mg ha-1). In PD4, short-season hybrids (8–11 Mg ha-1) had yield advantage over long-season hybrids (4–10 Mg ha-1). Low yield at late planting was related to reduced biomass, harvest index, kernel weight, and kernel number. Seasonal evapotranspiration (ET) was only reported in 2013. The average ET over PDs was 767 mm in a long-season hybrid and 718 mm in a short-season hybrid. Late planting resulted in lower ET (600 mm in PD4 vs. 822 mm in PD1). Hybrid and PD did not affect water use efficiency (WUE) except for 33D53AM, which had low WUE in PD4 due to low yield with late planting of this long-season hybrid. This study demonstrated that high yield (~15 Mg ha-1) and WUE (~1.5 kg m-3) can be achieved with long-season hybrids when planted before mid-June, but short-season hybrids were a better choice after mid-June. With water limitations, further study is warranted on planting short-season hybrids after mid-June to reduce water use and irrigation.