Water Use Efficiency of Maize ( Zea mays L.) Crop under Selected Soil and Water Conservation Practices along the Slope Gradient in Ruzizi Watershed, Eastern D.R. Congo

Espoir Mukengere Bagula (), Jackson-Gilbert Mwanjalolo Majaliwa, Twaha Ali Basamba, Jean-Gomez Mubalama Mondo, Bernard Vanlauwe, Geofrey Gabiri, John-Baptist Tumuhairwe, Gustave Nachigera Mushagalusa, Patrick Musinguzi, Sarah Akello, Anthony Egeru and Moses Makooma Tenywa
Additional contact information
Espoir Mukengere Bagula: Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Université Evangélique en Afrique, Bukavu P.O. Box 3323, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Jackson-Gilbert Mwanjalolo Majaliwa: College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 16811, Uganda
Twaha Ali Basamba: College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 16811, Uganda
Jean-Gomez Mubalama Mondo: Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Université Evangélique en Afrique, Bukavu P.O. Box 3323, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Bernard Vanlauwe: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Nairobi 30772-00100, Kenya
Geofrey Gabiri: Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Kyambogo University, Kyambogo P.O. Box 1, Uganda
John-Baptist Tumuhairwe: College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 16811, Uganda
Gustave Nachigera Mushagalusa: Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Université Evangélique en Afrique, Bukavu P.O. Box 3323, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Patrick Musinguzi: College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 16811, Uganda
Sarah Akello: College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 16811, Uganda
Anthony Egeru: College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 16811, Uganda
Moses Makooma Tenywa: College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala P.O. Box 16811, Uganda

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 10, 1-20

Abstract: Maize ( Zea mays L.) productivity is constrained by water shortages in the predominantly rainfed agriculture of the tropical semi-arid Ruzizi Plain, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The region is characterized by a high seasonal and inter-annual rainfall variability and a frequent occurrence of consecutive dry days within growing seasons. Consequently, planning water utilization in rainfed agriculture has become complex, as appropriate soil water conservation (SWC) practices are lacking among most smallholder farmers. Identifying practices that increase water use efficiency (WUE) along the slope gradient is crucial for supporting maize production in the region. In this study, we assessed, for three growing seasons, the effectiveness of two SWC practices (tied ridges and Zai pits) in improving the WUE of two maize varieties along three slope gradients (0–2, 2–8, and 8–15%) in the tropical semi-arid Ruzizi Plain. In this area, rainfall amounts (142–289 mm) were consistently below the evapotranspiration demands (356–533 mm) across the three growing seasons. Tied ridges recorded the highest grain yield (2.16 t ha −1 ) and WUE (15.23 kg mm −1 ), especially at low slopes, when compared to Zai pits and conventional tillage. For all SWC practices, WUE decreased with the slope gradient ( p < 0.01). Furthermore, a decrease in stored soil water (SWS) at silking and maturity stages (milk, dough, and dent stages) negatively affected the WUE. The variety had no significant effect on grain yield and WUE. Root biomass (RBM), shoot biomass (SBM), and leaf area index (LAI) at the flowering stage were the most associated with the WUE (R 2 = 58.5%). In conclusion, tied ridges showed potential for improving maize WUE and yield in the water-deficient conditions that characterize the Ruzizi Plain, and could be promoted to improve the maize productivity among smallholder farmers.

Keywords: water deficiency; water use efficiency; tied ridges; Zai pits; conventional tillage (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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