Effects of drip irrigation with saline water on waxy maize (Zea mays L. var. ceratina Kulesh) in North China Plain

In order to study the effects of drip irrigation with saline water on waxy maize, three years of field experiments were carried out in 2007–2009 in North China Plain. Five treatments with average salinity of irrigation water, 1.7, 4.0, 6.3, 8.6, and 10.9 dS/m were designed. Results indicated that the irrigation water with salinity <10.9 dS/m did not affect the emergence of waxy maize. As salinity of irrigation water increased, seedling biomass decreased, and the plant height, fresh and dry weight of waxy maize in the thinning time decreased by 2% for every 1 dS/m increase in salinity of irrigated water. The decreasing rate of the fresh ear yield for every 1 dS/m increase in salinity of irrigation water was about 0.4–3.3%. Irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) increased with the increase in salinity of irrigation water when salinity was <10.9 dS/m. Precipitation during the growing period significantly lightened the negative impacts of irrigation-water salinity on the growth and yield. Soil salinity in depth of 0–120 cm increased in the beginning of irrigation with saline water, while it was relatively stable in the subsequent year when salinity of irrigation water was not higher than 4.0 dS/m and the soil matric potential (SMP) at 0.2 m directly underneath the drip emitter was controlled above −20 kPa.