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Research Article

Impact of Stage-Specific CROPWAT Irrigation Scheduling on Water Use Efficiency and Yield of Maize

Tarannum Yaismin
Tarannum Yaismin

Precision and Automated Agriculture Laboratory, Dept. of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

,Md. Billal Hossain Momen
Md. Billal Hossain Momen

Precision and Automated Agriculture Laboratory, Dept. of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

,Md. Tariful Alam Khan
Md. Tariful Alam Khan

Precision and Automated Agriculture Laboratory, Dept. of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

,A. M. Shahidul Alam
A. M. Shahidul Alam

Precision and Automated Agriculture Laboratory, Dept. of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.

and Md. Robiul Islam*
Md. Robiul Islam*

Precision and Automated Agriculture Laboratory, Dept. of Agronomy and Agricultural Extension, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh.


Received: 28 January, 2026 || Accepted: 02 March, 2026 || Published: 10 March, 2026

 

A b s t r a c t

Water scarcity and declining groundwater levels necessitate efficient irrigation strategies for sustainable maize production in the drought-prone Barind Tract of Bangladesh. This study evaluated the effects of stage-specific irrigation scheduling derived from the FAO CROPWAT 8.0 model on maize growth, yield, grain quality, and water use efficiency during the Rabi season of 2023–2024 at the University of Rajshahi. Eight irrigation treatments, including continuous deficit, full CROPWAT-based irrigation, stage-specific deficit strategies, and the standard farmer practice, were evaluated in a split-plot design with three replications. Compared with the standard irrigation practice (I₈), treatments I₃, I₆, and I₇ showed comparable performance for key parameters. At 120 DAS, plant height under I₃ and I₆ was only about 2–3% lower than I₈, while I₇ showed a moderate reduction of about 6%. Total dry matter accumulation at 120 DAS under I₃ and I₆ remained within about 1–2% of I₈, and I₇ within about 5%, indicating sustained biomass production under stage-specific irrigation. Grain yield under I₃ and I₆ was closely comparable to I₈, with reductions of about 3–8%, while I₇ recorded yields within about 14% of the standard practice. Similar trends were observed for straw yield, where I₃ and I₆ maintained yields within about 3–6% of I₈ and I₇ within about 18%. Grain quality was also preserved under optimized irrigation, as carbohydrate content under I₃ and I₆ was only about 2–3% lower than I₈, while protein content under I₆ and I₇ remained comparable to the standard practice. In contrast, severe and continuous deficit irrigation treatments resulted in marked reductions across all parameters. Overall, the findings indicate that CROPWAT-based stage-specific irrigation strategies can maintain maize yield, biomass, and grain quality close to conventional irrigation while reducing water use, offering a practical approach for improving water productivity and conserving groundwater in water-scarce regions of Bangladesh.

Keywords: Maize; CROPWAT 8.0; Stage-specific irrigation; Water use efficiency; Drought-prone and Barind region.

Copyright information: Copyright © 2026 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License


    How to cite: Yaismin, T., Momen, M.B.H., Khan, M.T.A., Alam, A.M.S and Islam, M.R. 2026. Impact of Stage-Specific CROPWAT Irrigation Scheduling on Water Use Efficiency and Yield of Maize, 3(1), 15-23  

 

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