ABSTRACT
Nutrient and water availability are the two most limiting resources in crop production (Lea and Azevedo, 2006; Moser et al., 2006). Nutrient application has benetted from advancements in precision agriculture techniques. Producers are now able to customize applications by specifying the blend ratio of nutrients and by precisely controlling rates of application based on data from the previous years’ yield and soil sampling results (Miao et al., 2007). Water and irrigation, however, because of the large quantities needed, still pose problems to producers in regions that receive less than adequate rainfall, despite advances in technology and management practices (Sadler et al., 2005). In Kansas, Nebraska, and Texas, maize uses 53-97 cm of water per year depending on water supply, hybrid, maturity, and soil type (Howell et al., 1998). These regions historically have also had the most erratic rainfall patterns.
