Drip irrigation of maize A good agricultural practice for enhanced yield, water saving and higher profits

Abstract

Maize is the third most important crop in India after rice and wheat. Demand for maize feed and food is projected to increase and India would need 45 million tonnes by 2022. But the average productivity is very low 3.05 tonnes/ha. The use of drip irrigation in irrigated maize cultivation is a contemporary yield enhancing and water-saving strategy. While, the productivity gains per ha due to drip irrigation of maize varied from 27 to 84.6%, water saved by drip varied from 30.6 to 33.5% among different farmers when compared to furrow method of irrigation. Besides these advantages, the farmers could reduce the production costs per ha to the tune of 15.1 to 18%. Discounted cash flow analysis employed suggests that drip investment in maize is economically viable even without subsidy. These incentives are the key to scaling adoption of yield enhancing and resource conserving drip irrigation technology in irrigated maize to meet future food demand. The present policies like PMKSY (Pradhan Mantri Krsihi Sinchayee Yojana) at country level and some state level policies like TSMIP, APMIP, GGRC and RDIP implemented in maize growing states with the aim of extending irrigation cover in tune with “Har Khet ko Pani†and enhancing farmer’s income i.e., “Per Drop More Revenue†may encourage farmers in large scale adoption of drip irrigation in maize with continued support of research and extension agencies.