Effects of soil moisture, nitrogen and several climatic factors on yield and evapotranspiration of corn

A knowledge of the moisture content of the soil is important in irrigation experiments, in field experiments in general, and in irrigation practice on the farm (45). Measurement of soil moisture content has received much attention in the past several years with the increased concern and investigation into the area of consumptive use (evapotranspiration). In recent years, the emphasis on water use by various crops has led to the development of several methods for estimating evapotranspiration (ET.) In order to estimate ET, it is necessary to have a record of the soil moisture content throughout the growing season. The neutron moisture meter, which will be discussed later, provides a means for accurately measuring soil moisture without disturbing the soil around plants Evaluation of soil moisture changes with the neutron method has been found by McGuinness et al. (29) to agree closely with that obtained from weighing lysimeters.

The present study was undertaken to ascertain effects of moisture use efficiency of com and to determine consumptive use as related to climatic factors such as wind, humidity, temperature, and sunshine. The final aim was to relate corn yield to several climatic factors which might be used as a guide for scheduling irrigation and evaluating total moisture use and moisture use rates.