Impact of silicon application and irrigation methods on the economic and energy efficiency of summer maize under different irrigation regimes

Abstract

The study, conducted over the summer seasons of 2023 and 2024 at the Agriculture Farm, Palli Siksha Bhavana, Visva-Bharati, West Bengal, aimed to investigate the effect of silicon and irrigation methods on the economics and energetics of summer maize under different irrigation schedules. The experiment was conducted using a split-plot design with three replications. The main plot consists of 2 factors, one is methods of irrigation (M) i.e., border strip irrigation (M1), every furrow irrigation (M2) and alternate furrow irrigation (M3) and another factor is irrigation regimes (I) i.e., 40 mm CPE (I1), 50 mm CPE (I2) and 60 mm CPE (I3) and the sub plots consists of 2 treatments of silicon application (S) i.e., control (water spray) (S0) and foliar spray of silicon (S1). The result reveals that the 40 mm CPE irrigation regime, combined with every furrow method and silicon application, offers the highest gross returns, net returns, and energy efficiency, making it the most economically and energetically efficient approach for summer maize cultivation.