Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of three irrigation regimes on the growth characteristics and commercial yield of drip-irrigated sweet corn. A field experiment was established in the winter of 1985-86 at the Fortuna substation, Juana Díaz, on the semiarid south coast of Puerto Rico. A randomized complete block design with three irrigation levels (wet = T1, moist = T2, dry = T3) based upon tensiometers at 15-, 30- and 45-cm soil depth, respectively. Treatments were replicated four times. A low pressure biwall drip irrigation system was used. Commercial sweet corn yield was 6487.0, 5034.8 and 3879.6 kg/ha in the T1, T2, and T3 plots, respectively. The wet treatment (T1) yielded significantly more than T2 and T3 at P = 0.05. Increases were 28.9 and 67.3% compared with T2 and T3, respectively. T3 caused a reduction of 41% in the number of ears per hectare. The average weight and length of ears were not significantly different at P = 0.05. Weekly fresh and dry plant weight, fresh and dry total weight, plant height, length of ear versus days after planting relationships were of sigmoidal type. Coefficient of correlation and regression coefficients were significant at P = 0.05.