Efficiency of water can be improved by making the right decision regarding to irrigation scheduling, irrigation application techniques and conservation mechanisms. A field experiment was conducted in a dry season of 2018 to investigate the effects of mulch types and water application methods in furrow irrigation system on water productivity, and yield and yield components of maize (Zea mays L.) at Hawassa, Southern Ethiopia. Factorial combinations of three types of furrow irrigation methods (alternate, fixed and conventional) and three mulch types (no mulch, plastic, and straw mulch) were laid out in split-plot design with furrow irrigation methods as main plot and mulching as sub-plot and replicated three times. Results indicated that different types of furrow irrigation methods had a very highly significant effect on plant height, cob length and weight, aboveground biomass, grain yield, and water use efficiency of maize. Types of furrow irrigation method highly significantly affected thousand grain weight and harvesting index. Moreover, maize growth, yield and yield components including water productivity were highly significantly influenced by different mulch types. However, irrigation method by mulching type interaction was not significant for any of the studied parameters). Significantly higher yield and yield component of maize were recorded from conventional furrow irrigation method than alternate and fixed furrow irrigation method. The highest maize grain yield of 9003.8 kg ha-1 was achieved from conventional furrow irrigation water management method. However, higher water productivity (2.43 kg/m3) was obtained from alternate furrow irrigation method. Moreover, higher yield and yield components including water use efficiency were obtained from plastic mulch than no mulch and straw mulch. The maximum grain yield of 8088.9 kg ha-1 and water productivity (2.34 kg/m3) were obtained from plastic mulch, but the partial budget analysis revealed that straw mulch was more economically feasible for farmers than plastic mulch for maize production at Hawassa area. Therefore the present study suggests that, for maximizing grain yield under no water stress scenario, irrigation of maize with conventional furrow irrigation methods could be used. On the other hand, under limiting irrigation water condition, alternate furrow irrigation method with straw mulch application could be used to minimize evaporation loss and maximize water productivity and yield of maize at Hawassa and similar agro-ecology and soil type.
