Field experiment was conducted at Tameia Res. Station, Fayoum Governorate during 2006 and 2007 seasons Three irrigation intervals, i.e. irrigation every I1: 7 days, I2: 14 days and I3: 21 days were combined with three plant densities, i.e. D1: 20000, D2: 25000 and D3: 30000 plants/fed in a split-plot design with four replications.
The main results obtained were as follows:
1. Grain yield/fed, yield components were significantly affected by irrigation intervals, plant densities and their interactions in both seasons.
2. Irrigation every 7 days and 20000 plant/fed gave the highest averages of stem diameter, ear length, ear diameter, grain weight/plant and 100-grain weight in both seasons. Nevertheless, planting maize at 30000 plant/fed and irrigation every 21 days gave the lowest yield component averages in both seasons.
3. The highest grain yield, i.e. 2742 and 2702 kg grains/fed in 2006 and 2007 seasons, respectively, were detected from irrigation every 14 days and 30000 plant/fed. On the contrary, irrigation every 21 days and 20000 plants/fed gave the lowest grain yield/fed. i.e. 2285 and 2298 kg in 2006 and 2007 seasons, respectively.
4. Seasonal consumptive use (Etc) averaged 61.92 and 62.76 cm in 2006 and 2007 seasons, respectively. The highest Etc values, i.e. 67.96 and 68.87 cm were recorded in 2006 and 2007 seasons, respectively, which obtained from irrigation every 7 days and 30000 plants/fed. Whereas, the lowest values, i.e. 56.45 and 57.13 cm in the two successive seasons, resulted from irrigation every 21 days and 20000 plants/fed.
5. The daily Etc rates were low during June, and tended to increase during July to reach its peak during August and then declined during September and October in both seasons. Based on values of ETo estimated using Penman – Monteith method and Etc values, the crop coefficient (Kc) values, for the highest grain yield produced under the treatment (I2D3), were 0.53, 0.74, 0.99, 0.71 and 0.62 for June, July, August, September and October, respectively.
6. The highest water use efficiency, i.e. 1.009 and 0.986 kg grain/m3 water consumed in 2006 and 2007 seasons, respectively, were obtained under the combination of irrigation every 14 days and plant density of 30000 plants/fed.