Effects of the combined application of biomaterial amendments and polyacrylamide on soil water and maize growth under deficit irrigation

Combined applications of mixed biomaterial amendments and polyacrylamide (MBAP) to maize in semiarid areas have the potential to improve soil physical properties such that improved crop performance may be obtained under deficient irrigation management. In this study, three MBAP applications were C0 (conventional N fertilization application) and C2 and C4 (MBAP applied at rates of 2 and 4 t ha(-1), respectively); three irrigation levels were W3 (nearly full irrigation, 85%-100% of field capacity), W2 (light deficit irrigation, 65%-75% of field capacity), and W1 (medium deficit irrigation, 55%-65% of field capacity). Under the same irrigation level, the MBAP significantly decreased soil bulk densities and increased soil hydraulic conductivities and soil water contents. The effects of irrigation levels on soil bulk densities and soil saturated hydraulic conductivities were not significant. Consequently, MBAP improved soil conditions for maize growth and increased grain and biomass yields, especially at the two deficit irrigation levels. Compared with that of C0, grain yields for C2 and C4 were increased by 52.8% and 39.3% under W2, and by 23.5% and 13.7% under W1, respectively. The MBAP and irrigation had significant interaction effects on evapotranspiration during sowing to jointing and on plant heights at 32 d after sowing. The incorporation of MBAP (2 t ha(-1)) and chemical fertilizer (111.8 kg N ha(-1)) resulted in the greatest yields under light deficit irrigation and seemed the best approach to improve soil physical properties and sustain maize productivity using limited water resources in dryland regions.