ABSTRACT
Maize (Zea Mays L.) is cultivated in regions lying between 58°N latitude and 40°N latitude at an elevation of 3,800 meters above mean sea level. It is a grain crop that is irrigated worldwide [8, 17]. The maize irrigation requirements of maize vary from 500 to 800 m3 for maximum production [7]. Irrigation is of the utmost importance, from the appearance of the first
silk strands until the milky stage in the maturation of the kernels on the cob [6, 10, 13]. Once the milky stage has occurred, the appearance of black layer development on 50% of the maize kernels is a sign that the crop has fully ripened. In arid regions of Middle East, maize is generally cultivated under gravity or sprinkler irrigation and few research studies to evaluate effects of drip irrigation on performance of maize crop have been reported [6, 10, 11]. Generally, the pan evaporation method is used to calculate the amount of water needed for irrigation [22]. Drip irrigation easily be automated by using automatic irrigation controllers [3-5]. The application of fertilizers is usually by hand with low efficiency, resulting in higher costs and environmental problems [1]. Maize is one of the most important cereals in Egypt and is grown for both grain and forage.
