Impact of Irrigation with Drainage Water on the Productivity of Forage Maize Grown on Calcareous Soil

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to mitigate the deterious effect of drainage water on growth and nutrient uptake of forage maize grown on Borg ElArab calcareous soil. The soil has high CaCo3 content and irrigated with well water (22.5 %) and drainage water (27.5 %). This practice increased calcium carbonate content in soils and increased electric conductivity values to 3.65 dS/m and 9.30 dS/m in soils irrigated with well water and drainage water, respectively. The obtained results indicated that the saline water have a significant effect on maize fodder, silage quality and maize plant, seed weight, plant height, root / shoot ratio. The forage maize and maize silages yield were significantly reduced at different irrigation water treatments. The forage yield, silages index and forage index (%) also significantly reduced. The mean forage index was found to be 0. 36 and was not affected by well water salinity level. In addition, the results showed that, the maize silages with lower content of crude fiber are considered as important energy source for feeding. The content of acetic acid was lower in silages at different salinity levels and the values were 25.34, 21.33, 11.27 and 11.27 S0, S1, S2 and S3. Direct cause for reduction of maize silages quality was the higher content of acetic acid.