May 2025 issue

Volume 58, Issue 5

The Texas Southern High Plains is a semi-arid region reliant on irrigation due to low rainfall and high evapotranspiration. It faces increasing agricultural challenges from increasing water demands and the depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer, the primary underground water resource that supplies 90% of the region's irrigation needs. To address this, researchers explored strategies to improve water productivity in sweet corn. They tested four irrigation regimes based on corn growth stages and three biochar application rates to assess impacts on sweet corn’s growth, physiology, yield, and water efficiency.