Corn Crop Irrigation Management Key To Bottom Line

By Kay Ledbetter

Too much water doesn’t help corn producers make more crop; too little water also takes away from yields. Ongoing Texas A&M AgriLife Research studies are determining a formula for finding the right amount for the right results with other best management practices.

Qingwu Xue, Texas A&M AgriLife Research crop stress physiologist at Amarillo, said most corn in the High Plains has already been planted, but producers can still affect their bottom line with proper management practices.

Xue and his colleagues have been conducting field research in corn management for years, along with other AgriLife Research and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service faculty, in the areas of irrigation, hybrid selection, planting dates and seeding rates.

Each of these management practices plays a role in the overall water use and yield determination of the corn crop, but irrigation management remains the most important issue in corn production, he said.

The average seasonal irrigation for corn is about 20 inches, he said. However, irrigation demand can be much higher in a drought year like 2011.