Bangladesh Agron. J. 2024, 27(2): 90-95 EFFECT OF IRRIGATION INTERVALS AND MULCHING MATERIAL ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF MAIZE M.M. Liza1*, M.M. Hasan2, M.R.H. Khan2, A. Saha2, F.H. Tuly2 and S.M. Masum2 1Department of Agronomy, Habiganj Agricultural University, Habiganj, Bangladesh 2Department of Agronomy, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh *Corresponding author, Email: mohshina1990@gmail.com (Received: 23 June 2025, Accepted: 24 July 2025) Keywords: Maize, irrigation, mulching materials Abstract An experiment was conducted at Habiganj Agricultural University's research field to study the effects of irrigation and mulching on the yield of maize cultivation in the Sylhet region of Bangladesh. The study analyzed the effects of different irrigation intervals, i.e., irrigation at 15, 30, and 60 days after sowing (DAS); at 15, 30, and 85 DAS; and at 15, 30, 60, and 85 DAS; along with polythene and jute sack as mulching materials on maize performance. The experiment was laid out in a pot experiment with a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results showed that irrigation at 15, 30 and 85 DAS gave the highest cob length (cm), cob weight plant−1 (g), number of grain cob−1, 100-grain weight (g), and grain yield (t ha−1) while jute sack performed better than mulching with polythene. The interaction effect of irrigation intervals and mulching treatments showed a significant difference in all yield contributing parameters except the number of cob plant−1. The highest cob length (16.57 cm), cob weight plant−1 (143.33 g), number of grain cob−1 (316.65), 100-grain weight (34.33 g), grain weight cob−1 (118.9 g) and grain yield (8.77 t ha−1) were obtained from the interaction of at 15, 30 and 85 DAS intervals with jute sack mulching whereas the lowest from the no irrigation (control) with jute sack mulching. Introduction . In Bangladesh, maize is second in production after rice and is ranked third as a staple cereal (Islam et al., 2020). In Bangladesh, the cultivation of maize has been gaining popularity in recent years because of its high productivity and diversified use (Tajul et al., 2013). Bangladesh covers about 0.478 million hectares with a production of 4.26 million tonnes of grains (BBS, 2023). The national average yield is only 6.45 t ha−1, which is very low compared with leading maize-growing countries, whereas the newly released varieties can produce more than 8.0 t ha−1 (AIS, 2015). Proper growth and development of maize need favourable soil moisture up to its root zone. Limited water supply during the growing season results in soil and plant water deficits and reduces maize yields (Gordon et al., 1995; Patel et al., 2006). Maize is a crop that requires less water than Boro rice and produces consistently much higher yields (Ali et al., 2008). The optimum use of irrigation water should be an important strategy for increasing maize production. Using mulch in irrigated fields is another crucial element for supporting soil moisture and fostering the growth of plants and yield production (Ramalan and Nwokeocha, 2000; Acharya et al., 2005). Plastic film mulch is widely used as a low-cost measure to improve water retention in the soil (Wang et al., 2009), increase soil temperature (Yi et al., 2010), and reduce soil evaporation (Shengxiu and Ling, 1992). Besides, sack farming, where maize is grown in sacks or bags, can be used as an alternative to mulching. The sacks help maintain soil moisture mailto:mohshina1990@gmail.com 91 Liza et al. by reducing evaporation, suppressing weed growth by blocking sunlight and regulating soil temperature to protect maize roots. The main objectives of this research were to determine the effects of different irrigation and mulching materials on the yield and productivity of maize, as well as to identify the most effective combination of irrigation interval and mulching material that maximizes maize yield. Materials and Methods The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy farm of Habiganj Agricultural University, Sylhet, from March 2023 to July 2024. The experimental field located in Sylhet division falls under a tropical monsoon climate. During the season (October to March), the region experiences relatively dry conditions with moderately low temperatures. Average temperatures during this period range from 13-18°C (lowest in January) to around 25°C in the daytime. Rainfall is significantly reduced compared to the Kharif-1 season, with only light and sporadic showers. The experiment consisted of two factors viz., factor A: Irrigation (4), i.e., I0 = no irrigation, I1 = irrigation at 15, 30 and 60 days after sowing (DAS), I2 = irrigation at 15, 30 and 85 DAS, and I3 = irrigation at 15, 30, 60 and 85 DAS and Factor B: Mulching materials (2) i.e., M1 = mulching with polythene, M2 = jute sack mulching. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications within 24 pots., Maize var. BARI Hybrid Bhutta-17 was used as plant material, and the seeds were collected from Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur. The pots were prepared for the experiment in the first week of March 2024, where the soil textural class was sandy clay loam, having a pH of 5.5. Fertilizers and manures were applied for the cultivation of crops as recommended by BARI, 2014. The seeds were sown in the pots, having two seeds hole−1. All intercultural operations, like gap filling, thinning, weeding and plant protection, were taken as per recommendation. The thinning was done at 7 DAS for obtaining one plant pot−1, after that, mulching was done accordingly. The cobs of tested plants of each pot were separately harvested for recording data on yield attributes and other parameters like cob plant−1, cob weight, grain cob−1, test grain weight, and grain yield. The data were analysed, and the means were separated by least significant difference (LSD) at 5% level of significance using the statistical computer package program Statistix-10. Results and Discussion Cob length The combined effect of different intervals of irrigation and mulching materials did not significantly influence the cob length (Table 1). However, numerically higher cob length of 16.57 cm was observed in I2M2 statistically similar to I3M2 (16.31 cm) and I3M1 (16.02 cm). Cob circumference The combined effect of different intervals of irrigation and mulching materials significantly influenced the cob circumference (Table 1). Results showed that the highest cob circumference (16.57 cm) was observed with the treatment I2M2 (irrigation at 15, 30 and 85 DAS with jute sack mulching). Conversely, the lowest cob circumference (14.27 cm) was found from I0M2 (no irrigation with jute sack mulching), which was statistically similar to I0M1 (14.36 cm). Cob weight The combined effect of different intervals of irrigation and mulching materials significantly influenced the cob weight (Table 1). Considering the interaction effect, the highest cob weight (143.33 g cob−1) was observed for the I2M2 (irrigation at 15, 30 and 85 DAS with Effect of irrigation and mulching on the growth and yield of maize 92 jute sack mulching) closely followed by I3M2 (134.67 g cob−1). In contrast, the lowest cob weight of 63.00 g cob−1 was recorded for the combination I0M2 (no irrigation with jute sack mulching). Grains number cob−1 The number of grains cob−1 was maximum in I2M2 (316.65), closely followed by IM2 and I3M1. Islam et al. (2022) also concluded that the grains number cob−1 was significantly influenced by mulching and irrigation, with the highest from three irrigations combined with mulching. 100-seed weight The combined effect of different intervals of irrigation and mulching materials as was non-significantly influenced the 100-seed weight (Table 1). 100-seed weight was observed to be almost the same in all the combinations of treatments, in which the slightly higher seed weight was found for the treatment I2 M2 (34.33 g). Table 1. Interaction effect of different intervals of irrigation and mulching materials on the yield parameters of yellow maize Treatments Cob length (cm) Cob circumference (cm) Cob weight (g cob−1) Grains number cob−1 100-grain weight (g) Grain weight (g cob−1) I0M1 14.68 ab 14.36 c 77.00 bc 254.66 c 30.67 a 51.48 f I0M2 14.23 b 14.27 c 63.00 c 241.98 c 30.33 a 40.88 g I1M1 15.59 ab 15.33 bc 101.33 a-c 264.42 bc 31.33 a 67.48 e I1M2 15.35 ab 15.51 ab 110.33 a-c 266.97 bc 31.33 a 72.59 de I2M1 15.25 ab 15.30 bc 126.67 ab 292.86 ab 32.00 a 90.46 c I2M2 16.57 a 16.57 a 143.33 a 316.65 a 34.33 a 118.90 a I3M1 16.02 ab 15.54 ab 127.67 ab 298.47 a 32.00 a 80.20 d I3M2 16.31 ab 15.76 ab 134.67 a 299.87 a 32.33 a 105.29 b LSD (0.05) 2.2410 1.13 52.44 31.05 4.43 7.69 CV% 8.26 4.22 27.10 6.34 7.96 5.60 In a column, means having a similar letter(s) are statistically similar, and those having dissimilar letters (s) differ significantly at the 0.05 level of probability. I0 = no irrigation; I1 = irrigation at 15, 30 and 60 DAS; I2 = irrigation at 15, 30 and 85 DAS; and I3 = irrigation at 15, 30, 60 and 85 DAS; M1 = mulching with polythene, M2 = jute sack mulching Grain weight cob−1 Grain weight was significantly influenced by the integrated effect of different intervals of irrigation and mulching materials (Table 1). The highest grain weight per cob of 118.90 g was from I2M2 (irrigation at 15, 30 and 85 DAS with jute sack mulching), while the lowest grain weight per cob of 40.88 g was associated with I0 M2 (no irrigation with jute sack mulching). The research findings are similar to Mahajan et al. (2007), who described that mulch contributes to maintaining the high yield of plants by increasing the grain weight cob−1. 93 Liza et al. Fig 1. Effect of irrigation intervals and mulching materials on grain weight of per yellow maize cob. Grain yield Grain yield was significantly influenced by the integrated effect of different intervals of irrigation and mulching materials (Table 1). Results showed that the maximum grain yield of 8.77 t ha−1 was found from I2M2 (irrigation at 15, 30 and 85 DAS with jute sack mulching) while the minimum grain yield 2.87 t ha−1 was observed in I0M2 (no irrigation with jute sack mulching), which was statistically similar to I0M1 (3.37 t ha−1). Limited soil moisture hinders crop growth, reducing grain yields. Just six days of irrigation affect grains per cob, weight, length, and leaf area. Shorter grain-filling and faster ripening result in small, wrinkled seeds. Water stress restricts photosynthesis for fertilized grains due to grain abortion, leading to fewer and atrophied grains. It also causes premature male flowering, shortens growth stages, forcing plants to mature and produce grains faster. These results support conclusions drawn by numerous other researchers (Ferdoush et al., 2017). The combined application of frequent irrigation and organic mulch produced the highest yields, indicating a synergistic interaction between the two practices. This combination likely optimized soil moisture availability while minimizing losses due to evaporation, leading to favourable conditions for root growth and nutrient uptake. Between the mulching materials tested, jute sack mulch was found to be more effective than inorganic plastic in maintaining soil moisture, moderating temperature fluctuations, and suppressing weeds. Organic mulch also contributes to soil organic matter upon decomposition, thus enhancing soil fertility in the long term. Plastic mulch, while effective in reducing surface evaporation and promoting early growth, had limitations related to soil aeration and long-term environmental sustainability. 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 I0 M1 I0 M2 I1 M1 I1 M2 I2 M1 I2 M2 I3 M1 I3 M2 G ra in w ei g h t co b − 1 (g ) Treatments I=Irrigation; M=Mulching Effect of irrigation and mulching on the growth and yield of maize 94 Fig 2. Effect of irrigation intervals and mulching materials on grain yield (t ha−1) of yellow maize. Conclusion The study was found that the combination of irrigation and mulching materials significantly influenced grain yield. The maximum yield was 8.77 t ha−1 with the irrigation at 15, 30 and 85 DAS with jute sack treatment. Limited soil moisture and water stress can reduce grain yields, leading to smaller corn cob size and reduced grain production. Jute sack mulch was found to be more effective than inorganic plastic in maintaining soil moisture, reducing weeds, and enhancing soil fertility. This finding was generated from pot trial so it should be done at on- station as well as on-farm trial for validation with cost-benefit analysis. References Acharya, C.L., K.M. Hati, K.K. Bandyopadhyay, D. Hillel, C. Rosenzweig, D.S. Pawlson, K.M. Scow, M.J. Sorger, D.L. Sparks, and J. Hatfield. 2005. Encyclopedia of soils in the environment. In- Chief Daniel Hillel, Columbia University, NY, USA. AIS (Agriculture Information Service). 2015. Area, production and yield of different crops. Agriculture Information Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Khamarbari, Dhaka, Bangladesh. pp.14. Ali, M.Y., S.R. Waddington, J. Timsina, D.P. Hodson and J. Dixon. 2008. Maize-rice cropping systems in Bangladesh: Status and research opportunities. Agric. Sci. Technol. 3(6): 35-53. BBS (Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics). 2023. Statistical Yearbook of Bangladesh 2022, Statistics & Informatics Division, Ministry of Planning, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Dhaka, Bangladesh. pp. 134. Ferdoush, A., M.A. Haque, M.M. Rashid and M.A.A. Bari. 2017. Variability and traits association in maize (Zea mays L.) for yield and yield associated characters. J. Bangladesh Agric. Univ. 15(2): 193-198. Gordon, W.B., R.J. Raney, and L.R. Stone. 1995. Irrigation management practices for corn production in north central Kansas. J. Soil Water Conserv. 50(4): 395-399. Islam, M.S., M.K. Alam, N. Salahin, M.J. Alam, M.A.M. Hussen and A.T.M.A.I. Mondol. 2022. Effects of tillage, mulch and irrigation on maize (Zea mays L.) yield in drought prone area. Bangladesh J. Agric. 47(1): 27-38. Islam, S., A. Ferdausi, A.Y. Sweety, A. Das, A. Ferdoush and M.A. Haque. 2020. Morphological characterization and genetic diversity analyses of plant traits contributed to grain yield in maize (Zea Mays L.). J. Biosci. Agric. Res. 25(1): 2047-2059. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 I0 M1 I0 M2 I1 M1 I1 M2 I2 M1 I2 M2 I3 M1 I3 M2 G ra in y ie ld ( t h a -1 ) Treatments I=Irrigation; M=Mulching 95 Liza et al. Mahajan, G., R. Sharda, A. Kumar and K.G. Singh. 2007. Effect of plastic mulch on economizing irrigation water and weed control in baby corn sown by different methods. African J. Agric. Res. 2(1): 19-26. Patel, J.B., V.J. Patel and J.R. Patel. 2006. Influence of different methods of irrigation and nitrogen levels on crop growth rate and yield of maize (Zea Mays L.). Indian J. Crop Sci. 1(1 and 2): 175-177. Ramalan, A.A. and C.U. Nwokeocha. 2000. Effects of furrow irrigation methods, mulching and soil water suction on the growth, yield and water use efficiency of tomato in the Nigerian Savanna. Agric. Water Manag. 45(3): 317-330. Shengxiu, L. and X. Ling. 1992. Distribution and management of drylands in the People’s Republic of China. Adv. Soil Sci. 18:147-302. Tajul, M.I., M.M. Alam, S.M.M. Hossain, K. Naher, M.Y. Rafii and M.A. Latif. 2013. Influence of plant population and nitrogen‐fertilizer at various levels on growth and growth efficiency of maize. Sci. World J. 2013(1). 193018. doi: 10.1155/2013/193018. Wang, Y., Z. Xie, S.S. Malhi, C.L. Vera, Y. Zhang and J. Wang. 2009. Effects of rainfall harvesting and mulching technologies on water use efficiency and crop yield in the semi-arid Loess Plateau, China. Agric. Water Manag. 96(3): 374-382. Yi, L., Y. Shenjiao, L. Shiqing, C. Xinping and C. Fang. 2010. Growth and development of maize (Zea mays L.) in response to different field water management practices: Resource capture and use efficiency. Agric. For. Meteorol. 150(4): 606-613.