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Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 13 No. sp5 (2026): Recent Advances in Agriculture

Comparative evaluation of economic returns and water-saving efficiency of IoT-based smart drip irrigation and conventional irrigation methods in maize (Zea mays L.)

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.14808
Submitted
1 April 2026
Published
01-08-2026

Abstract

Precision irrigation is critical for improving water productivity in maize under conditions of increasing water scarcity and climate variability. This study evaluated the impact of internet of things (IoT)-based smart drip irrigation and irrigation scheduling strategies on yield, water-use efficiency and economic returns of hybrid maize. Eight irrigation treatments, including IoT-based sensor-controlled drip irrigation, pan evaporation (PE)-based scheduling, irrigation water/cumulative pan evaporation ratio (IW/CPE) methods, conventional drip irrigation, surface irrigation and flood irrigation, were evaluated under field conditions. In the IoT-based treatments, soil moisture sensors continuously monitored root-zone moisture and automatically initiated irrigation when soil water depletion reached either 60 % or 80 % of the available soil water (ASW), representing moderate and high allowable depletion levels respectively. In contrast, conventional drip irrigation was operated using fixed irrigation schedules without real-time soil moisture sensing or automated feedback control. Results indicated significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) among treatments. The IoT-based drip irrigation at 60 % ASW depletion recorded the highest grain and straw yields, with grain yield increasing by 39 % compared with flood irrigation. The same treatment achieved the highest water-use efficiency, producing 2.62 times more grain per unit of water applied and reducing irrigation water use by 47 %. Economic analysis showed that IoT-based irrigation generated the highest profitability, with net returns increasing by 88 % over flood irrigation. The results demonstrate that sensor-based automated drip irrigation scheduled at 60 % allowable soil water depletion is an efficient and economically viable strategy for improving maize productivity, water-use efficiency and water conservation under water-limited conditions.

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