Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Bushland, Texas » Conservation and Production Research Laboratory » Soil and Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #405029
Research Project: Dryland and Irrigated Crop Management Under Limited Water Availability and Drought

Location: Soil and Water Management Research

Title: Corn production under restricted irrigation in the Texas High Plains

Author
item THAPA, SUSHIL - Texas Agrilife Research
item XUE, QINGWU - Texas Agrilife Research
item MAREK, THOMAS - Texas Agrilife Research
item XU, WENWEI - Texas Agrilife Research
item PORTER, DANA - Texas Agrilife Research
item JESSUP, KIRK - Texas Agrilife Research

Submitted to: Agronomy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/16/2019
Publication Date: 2/12/2020
Citation: Thapa, S., Xue, Q., Marek, T., Xu, W., Porter, D., Jessup, K. 2020. Corn production under restricted irrigation in the Texas High Plains. Agronomy Journal. 112(2):1190-1200. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20003.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20003

Interpretive Summary: Corn production on the semiarid Texas High Plains (THP) relies on irrigation water from the declining Ogallala Aquifer. It is often assumed that 20 inches of irrigation water are needed to make a profitable corn crop, but it is unknown if profitable corn can be grown with less irrigation water. Working in a project funded by the USDA ARS Ogallala Aquifer Program, scientists from Texas A&M AgriLife conducted a 3-year study (2010–2012) to find out whether successful corn production was possible using only 12 inches of irrigation water. Seasonal precipitation was highest in 2010 (average rainfall, about 10 inches), followed by 2012 (6 inches, drought), and least in 2011 (extreme drought, 3 inches). Due to severe drought and unusually high temperatures, yield was only 40 bushels per acre in 2011 and 100 bushels per acre in 2012 compared with 220 bushels per acre in the more rainy 2010. Results suggest that corn yields of about 200 bushels per acre are possible with only 12 inches of irrigation on the THP if seasonal rainfall is at least average. Production risk is high due to frequent years with less than average seasonal precipitation.

Technical Abstract: Sustainable corn (Zea mays L.) production in the semiarid Texas High Plains (THP) relies on irrigation water from the Ogallala Aquifer, but it is well known that the aquifer is declining. A 3-yr (2010–2012) field study was conducted to find whether successful corn production is possible using only 60% (300 mm) of the current average irrigation for the region (500 mm). Three corn hybrids (Pioneer P31G96, Pioneer P33D49, and Monsanto DKC67-87) were planted at four densities (5, 6, 7, and 8 plants m-2) under a center pivot sprinkler system. Seasonal precipitation was highest in 2010 (224 mm), followed by 2012 (132 mm), and 2011 (85 mm). Seasonal evapotranspiration for corn ranged between 426 and 635 mm. Yield was significantly lower in 2011 (2.4 Mg ha-1) and 2012 (6.0 Mg ha-1) than 2010 (13.3 Mg ha-1) due to severe drought conditions combined with unusually high temperatures in those years. Increase in planting density increased biomass at silking but did not increase yield. Grain yield was related to biomass at maturity, harvest index, and biomass increase during grain filling. Results suggest that corn yields of about 13 Mg ha-1 are possible with only 300 mm of irrigation in the THP, but production risk is high due to frequent years with low seasonal precipitation.