Optimizing Land and Water Allocations for Irrigated Corn Production with Declining Well Capacities in Kansas.

Field studies were conducted at the Kansas State University-Southwest Research-Extension Center near Tribune, KS from 2015 to 2017. Three corn hybrids (two drought tolerant and one non-drought tolerant) were planted at three seeding rates (about 60, 80, and 100 thousand seeds/ha) and irrigated at three irrigation capacities (25 mm of irrigation every 4, 8 or 12 days). The objective is to develop an irrigated corn production function as part of a multi-location project. In general, at this location, increased seeding rate increased yield (mainly through greater ear population offsetting lower kernels ear^-1 and kernel mass) and water use efficiency. Increasing irrigation capacity tended to increase yield (primarily through greater kernel mass). Drought tolerant hybrids did not increase yields at this site. A generalized production function will be formulated after combining data from two other locations in Kansas.