Maize Genomics and Genetics 2025, Vol.16, No.5, 267-275 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/mgg 271 6.2 Precision supplemental irrigation in Northwest oasis farming In Northwest oasis agricultural areas such as the Hexi Corridor, water resources are very limited, so water replenishment is more precise. Local farmers use drip irrigation and scientific nitrogen application to make corn grow better and save water and fertilizer. Studies have found that corn yields are highest when there is enough water and moderate nitrogen fertilizer. If too much nitrogen fertilizer is added, the water utilization rate will decrease, and resources may be wasted. Using sub-film drip irrigation, coupled with a reasonable amount of irrigation (about 337.5 mm) and a suitable density (for example, 90 000 plants per hectare), not only is the yield higher, but the water utilization rate is also better, and the economic benefits are increased by more than 20% compared to when more water is irrigated (Figure 2) (Pan et al., 2024). This shows that in arid areas, it is particularly important to use water and fertilizer well (Zou et al., 2020; Guo et al., 2021). Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the layout of the integrated experiment of corn irrigation and fertilization based on drip irrigation and mulching (Adapted from Pan et al., 2024) 6.3 Irrigation schemes in high-yielding maize fields of Northeast China Northeast China has relatively more rain and is one of the areas with the most corn in my country. The water productivity here is also the highest, with an average of 25.8 kg of corn produced per millimeter of rain (Zheng et al., 2020). Because of the heavy rain, rain-fed methods are mostly used here, but if the yield and farming methods can be optimized, not only can more be produced, but also carbon emissions can be reduced. In some high-yield fields, farmers do not rely on frequent irrigation, but use conservation tillage and scientific management of soil
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