Saddique, QaisarCai, HuanjieIshaque, WajidChen, HuiChau, HenryChattha, Muhammad UmerHassan, Muhammad UmairKhan, Muhammad ImranHe, Jianqiang2019-03-212019-02-252019-02Saddique et al. (2019). Optimizing the sowing date and irrigation strategy to improve maize yield by using CERES (Crop Estimation through Resource and Environment Synthesis)- maize model. Agronomy, 9(2), 109. doi:10.3390/agronomy90201092073-4395HO1TP (isidoc)https://hdl.handle.net/10182/10553Summer maize (Zea mays L.) is a widely cultivated crop in the arid and semi-arid Guanzhong region of China. However, due to the spatial and temporal variation in rainfall, the seasonal maize yield varies substantially and occasionally is not economical for poor farmers to produce. Recent water-saving agricultural practices were developed by the government to make it possible to apply supplementary irrigation at optimum sowing dates to maximize maize production under limited rainfall in the region. CERES (Crop Estimation through Resource and Environment Synthesis)-maize model was used to identify the appropriate irrigation strategies, crop growth stages and sowing dates for sustainable maize production. Model calibration process were carried out for full irrigation treatments of four growing seasons, (2012–2015). The data used for calibration included: Crop phenology, grain yield, aboveground biomass and leaf area index. The calibration phase model showed good agreement between simulated and observed values, with normalized root mean square error (nRMSE) ranging from 4.51% to 14.5%. The performance of the calibrated model was evaluated using the field data of grain yield, aboveground biomass, leaf area index and water use efficiency. The performance of the model during evaluation was satisfactory with acceptable nRMSE error ranging from 7% to 10%. Soil moisture content was evaluated for full irrigation treatments for both 2012 and 2013 seasons. With results showing that soil moisture content below 35 cm layer was well simulated with nRMSE, 0.57 to 0.86 respectively. Appropriate simulated sowing dates for higher production and water productivity were from 14 to 24 June. The proper amount and timing of irrigation water application was 100 mm at the flowering stage, and 100 mm at the grain filling stage respectively. Summer maize yield can be improved by adjusting the sowing date and applying supplementary irrigation when precipitation cannot meet the crop water demand in the Guanzhong Plain.19 pagesen© 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.CERES-maizesummer maizesowing dateirrigation strategyGuanzhong PlainJournal Article10.3390/agronomy9020109ANZSRC::0703 Crop and Pasture ProductionANZSRC::0503 Soil SciencesANZSRC::079901 Agricultural Hydrology (Drainage, Flooding, Irrigation, Quality, etc.)ANZSRC::070304 Crop and Pasture Biomass and BioproductsANZSRC::070302 Agronomy2073-4395ANZSRC::3002 Agriculture, land and farm managementANZSRC::3004 Crop and pasture productionhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Attribution