Current Trends in Natural Sciences, cilt.11, sa.22, ss.137-148, 2022 (Hakemli Dergi)
Increasing fresh water shortage has revealed the use of waste water in agricultural irrigation, deficit irrigation
approaches and integrated management of soil moisture with tillage-sowing practices. The crop productivity in the
irrigated conditions is directly controlled by photosynthetic activities. Therefore, the effects of the irrigation with
recycled domestic waste water at different irrigation water levels (100%, 67% and 33%), compared to full irrigated
fresh water, on the chlorophyll content of silage maize and surface soil moisture in conventional tillage and direct
sowing conditions were examined in the irrigation periods of two experimental years (2020 and 2021). The soil
moisture was determined by 1.5% higher in direct sowing than in conventional tillage, and the chlorophyll content in
full irrigation with waste water and the direct sowing was found by 4.9% and 1.9% higher than in full irrigation with
fresh water and conventional tillage, respectively. However, chlorophyll content decreased by 20.7% and 34.0% at 33%
and 67% deficit irrigation with waste water compared to full irrigation with waste water. The significant (p<0.01)
linear correlation between the soil moisture and chlorophyll content showed that chlorophyll content can be managed
with the soil moisture. It can have concluded that full irrigation with waste water in the direct sowing can be
recommended with positive effects on the conservation of fresh water resources, effective managing soil moisture, thus
saving irrigation water, increasing chlorophyll content and crop productivity.