Effect of nozzle type on runoff and yield of corn and sorghum under center pivot sprinkler systems

Corn (Zea mays L.) and grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) production were compared under impact and spray nozzled center pivot sprinkler systems. The crops were grown under two pairs of sprinkler systems located approximately 110 km apart. One system of each pair was equipped with high pressure (379 or 414 kPa) impact sprinkler heads and the other system was equipped with low pressure (172 or 207 kPa) spray nozzles. Half of each circle was planted to corn and half was planted to sorghum. Additionally, four tillage treatments were included in the experimental design (conventional tillage, conventional tillage + deep ripping, conventional tillage + diking, and minimum tillage). The evaporative losses from the high pressure system with impact sprinkler heads were not significantly different from the low pressure system with spray nozzles. The minimum tillage and deep ripped treatments reduced runoff while diking eliminated it. The two nozzle types did not produce significantly different grain sorghum yields; however, corn yielded significantly more under the high pressure system with impact sprinkler heads than under the low pressure system with spray nozzles. The different tillage treatments did not influence yields of either crop significantly.