Coupled Effects of Soil Water and Nutrients on Growth and Yields of Maize Plants in a Semi-Arid Region

Interaction between soil water and nutrients plays an important role in sustainable crop management in semi-arid environments.On the basis of a field experiment conducted from 2000 to 2003,this study examined the coupled effects of irrigation and fertilizers on maize growth and yield in a semi-arid region of northeastern China.In terms of plant productivity,nitrogen fertilizer had the most significant effect followed by irrigation and phosphate levels.The combined application of nutrients and irrigation exerted a synergistic effect on the grain yield of maize plants.Regression analysis indicated that optimal levels of nitrogen and phosphate,in addition to adequate irrigation,could greatly improve the efficiency of grain production.Similarly,optimization of soil nutrient availability substantially increased water use efficiency.These suggested that for the most efficient and sustainable crop production,irrigation and nutrient management should be based on a quantitative understanding of water/nutrients interaction,particularly in semi-arid and arid regions.