Acre Feet Of Water To Grow Corn

Water use rates grow to 0 32 inches per day when averaged over a three to five day period.

Acre feet of water to grow corn.

The stalks reach 6 feet in height. Grain takes less and forages take more. Soybeans can be stressed somewhat more and require less water. In a soil that holds 1 inch of water per foot this would wet the soil to 6 9 feet much deeper than corn roots will effectively take up water.

Therefore 325 000 gallons of water are pumped per acre to produce the crop. A major challenge is to limit the. This amounts to 1 705 gallons of water per bushel of corn produced. It only reaches 5 feet tall but since it bears corn fast it s worth it.

This variety of corn produces large ears that measure 9 inches long with bright yellow kernels. Statewide irrigated corn yields have averaged 184 bushels acre but yields of 220 bushels acre are not uncommon. In the first three years of research each acre of land in the study produced about 10 bushels of corn for each inch of water consumed. The evaporative transpiration quotient for any crop is different but known.

Irrigations that follow cultivation can also result in heavy applications of water. Between the 8 leaf stage and tassel emergence corn root depth leaf area and water use grow rapidly reaching peak daily water use rates during pollination. By the time that corn reaches tassel emergence the plant has achieved 100 percent all of its effective rooting of about 3 feet. In a much more general sense most row and tree crops take about 3 5 acre feet per acre.

Plants are usually small at this stage and their root development limited resulting in much of the water applied not being available to the plants. That equates to 1 pound of corn for each 60 gallons of water absorbed. Water sweet corn in the morning once a week if there are no heavy downpours giving each plant 1 to 1 1 2 inches of water. There are roughly 27 000 gallons of water in an acre inch.

Lai increases to over 5 0 under fully irrigated corn with plant populations above 24 000 plants per acre. Let s assume 9 inches will be applied and 65 bushels per acre acre will be produced. Water an area 2 feet in diameter around the base of each plant and apply. Non irrigated corn yields averaged 113 bushels acre during this same period.

The us nationwide average corn yields are grain 150 bushels per acre or 4 2 us tons per acresilage forage 21 us tons per acreyields can vary quite a bit by state location and year. Trout found that corn yields varied from 210 bushels for a full application of water down to 130 bushels for the lowest irrigation level. It is common that 6 9 inches or more can be applied in a pre irrigation event. To that you must add a component of water for leaching and an adjustment for air temperature.

The kernels are sweet and can be preserved easily.