Field Crop 2025, Vol.8, No.3, 113-125 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/fc 122 (IWUE), T1 was 4.12 kg/m³, while T2 and T3 reached 6.49 and 6.11 respectively, an increase of nearly 50%. In conclusion, the integration of water and fertilizer through drip irrigation has achieved "less water and less fertilizer without reduced yield", and significantly improved the efficiency of resource utilization and economic benefits. 7.3 Feasibility and limitations of promotion and application As one of the major grain-producing areas in China, the North China Plain has the potential and demand for large-scale promotion of drip irrigation and water and fertilizer integration. From the results of this case experiment, it can be seen that the drip irrigation water and fertilizer model is technically feasible and effective in the cultivation of summer corn in North China. Firstly, in terms of irrigation water sources, groundwater in the North China Plain coexists with surface water from rivers such as the Yellow River and the Haihe River. By building field pipe networks, it is possible to ensure water supply for large-scale field drip irrigation. In this experiment, the water source from the well was used for drip irrigation. Both the pressure and water quality met the requirements (no dripper blockage occurred after the suspended solids in the water were filtered by sand and gravel) (Tian et al., 2017). Secondly, the technology of drip irrigation under film has certain compatibility with the mechanized production of corn. In this experiment, after laying the drip irrigation tape and plastic film, mechanical sowing and harvesting went basically smoothly, and only minor modifications to the seeder were required. The large-ridge double-row planting mode adopted in the experiment increased the density to a certain extent and exerted the yield-increasing potential of the variety under precise water and fertilizer supply by drip irrigation (Guo et al., 2022). Secondly, water and fertilizer management under this model is relatively simple, and farmers can master it after training. For instance, the technicians of the cooperative can complete the injection of water and fertilizer with the help of simple fertilizer tanks, achieving simultaneous irrigation and fertilization in the fields, which greatly saves the labor and time for fertilization. The advantages of integrated water and fertilizer irrigation through drip irrigation are obvious, but there are many problems in its promotion. The biggest obstacle is money. The investment in pipe networks and equipment is high, which small-scale farmers find hard to bear without subsidies. Moreover, their income is also affected by fluctuations in grain prices and utilities (Song et al., 2024). Secondly, there is the usage threshold. The maintenance of drippers and the control of fertilization concentration both require experience. Once the operation is improper, it may cause blockage or damage to the seedlings. Therefore, technical services are indispensable. Planting systems also bring troubles. For example, in the wheat-corn rotation in North China, agricultural machinery and drip irrigation tapes often conflict. Either the pipes break down or the mechanical efficiency decreases. There must be matching machinery and models (Abubakar et al., 2022;). Water resource allocation is equally complex. Drip irrigation requires stable water pressure. If each household operates independently, water usage conflicts are inevitable. Unified management by cooperatives or water associations is more realistic. There is also the issue of ecological benefits. Water conservation and weight loss are beneficial to the environment, but the short-term gains for farmers are limited and not easily reflected on the accounts. Therefore, policy subsidies and publicity guidance are very important. For farmers to truly accept it, apart from reliable technology, there must also be demonstration bases to show visible results, financial support to lower the threshold, and professional teams to provide services. Overall, this technology is feasible for corn production in the North China Plain, but it can only be widely promoted on a large scale if the policy, organization and technical support are all in place. 8 Conclusion Some of the results do not seem prominent on the surface, with the increase in production mostly ranging from 5% to 15%, but this was achieved under the conditions of water conservation and fertilizer reduction. The core function of drip irrigation is to reduce evaporation and leakage, concentrating water in the root zone. As a result, the output per cubic meter of water increases by 30% to 50%, and the overall water-saving rate reaches 20% to 40%. The value of integrated water and fertilizer management lies in the utilization rate of nutrients. The fractional supply of fertilizers along with water increases the utilization rate of nitrogen fertilizers by 10 to 30 percentage points, and even doubles the utilization rate of potassium fertilizers. In terms of quality, although the increase in grain weight and protein content is limited, the changes are stable. The economic benefits are equally
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