Modeling and Optimization of Maize Yield and Water Use Efficiency under Biochar, Inorganic Fertilizer and Irrigation Using Principal Component Analysis

Oluwaseun Temitope Faloye (), Ayodele Ebenezer Ajayi, Philip Gbenro Oguntunde, Viroon Kamchoom () and Abayomi Fasina
Additional contact information
Oluwaseun Temitope Faloye: Department of Water Resources Management and Agrometeorology, Federal University, PMB 373, Oye 371104, Ekiti State, Nigeria
Ayodele Ebenezer Ajayi: Institute for Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, Christian Albrechts University zu Kiel, Hermann Rodewaldstr. 2, 24118 Kiel, Germany
Philip Gbenro Oguntunde: Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, Federal University of Technology, PMB 704, Akure 340252, Ondo State, Nigeria
Viroon Kamchoom: Excellent Centre for Green and Sustainable Infrastructure, School of Engineering, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Bangkok 10520, Thailand
Abayomi Fasina: Department of Soil Science and Land Resources Management, Federal University, PMB 373, Oye 371104, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-20

Abstract: This study was conducted to predict the grain yield of a maize crop from easy-to-measure growth parameters and select the best treatment combinations of biochar, inorganic fertilizer, and irrigation for the maize grain yield and water use efficiency (WUE) using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) technique. Two rates of biochar (0 and 20 t ha −1 ) and fertilizer (0 and 300 kg ha −1 ) were applied to the soil, with maize crop planted, and subjected to deficit irrigation at 60, 80, and 100% of full irrigation amounts (FIA). Maize growth parameters (number of leaves—NL, leaf area—LA, leaf area index—LAI, and plant height—PH) were measured weekly. The results showed that the developed principal component regression (PCR) from the easy-to-measure growth parameters were strong and moderate in predicting the maize yield and WUE, with coefficient of determination; r 2 values of 0.92 and 0.56, respectively. Using the PCA technique, the integration of irrigation with the least amount of water (60% FAI) with biochar (20 t ha −1 ) and fertilizer (300 kg ha −1 ) produced the highest ranking on grain yield and water use efficiency. This optimization technique showed that with the adoption of the integrative approach, 40% of irrigation water could be saved for other agricultural purposes

Keywords: soil amendments; irrigation; maize; leaf area index; principal component analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/10/1813/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/10/1813/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jagris:v:14:y:2024:i:10:p:1813-:d:1498666

Access Statistics for this article

Agriculture is currently edited by Ms. Leda Xuan

More articles in Agriculture from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().