Impact of controlled drainage on reaction factor and corn yield
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Date
2019
Authors
Fransen, Sonja
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Abstract
Water table management systems can improve the agricultural landscape under right management conditions. Controlled drainage as a best management practice can be used to decrease drainage outflows, which will thereby decrease the nutrient export from a field when compared to free drainage. The objectives of the study was to determine the impact of water table depth during different stages of corn growth on corn yield and quality, as well as to compare the impact of controlled drainage versus free drainage on reaction factors under different recharge events. A significant difference (P < 0.05) was observed in the corn yield between the different depths to the water table, with the corn harvested over the tile having a 6% higher yield over the quarter-way, and 7% higher yield over the half-way location. Average difference in water table depths between the tile and the quarter-way point ranged between 8.5 and 11.0 cm during different stages of growth. Results from this study show that water table management using drainage control structures have the potential to impact corn yield. The Sum of Excess Water within the top 70 cm depth of the root zone (SEW70) index was found to be significantly different (p < 0.05) between the three different locations within the tile transect, and found to have a negative correlation to the total corn yield. Piezometers located at the mid-spacing between tiles were used to determine the reaction factor within a controlled and free drained field during the 2017 growing season. The reaction factor in the controlled drainage field was found to be 71% significantly (p << 0.01) greater than the free drained field during the spring soon after the gates in the drainage control structure were opened in preparation for field operations prior to planting.
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Keywords
Controlled tile drainage, Water table depth, Tile drainage, Reaction factor, Drainage intensity, Corn yield analysis