Abstract

This research work reported here was a study on the soil moisture depletion trends of sunflowerand maize under irrigation condition. It monitored the soil moisture extraction pattern, theEvapotranspiration rate and soil moisture depletion trend. Ideally, the soil moisture contentsupposes to be monitored from early to the maturity stage of the crop but it was monitored fromthe 45days after planting to the maturity stage due to some challenges. The soil moisture contentwas monitored for the various soil depths of 0-15 cm, 15-30 cm, 30-45 cm, 45-60 cm, and 60-75cm using soil moisture meter theta probe, the plot has a length of 120m and breathe of 12m of totalarea of 1440m2there are eight plot and was divide into two equal part of which each part is madeof four plot and each plot is divided into three replicate. Plot one is divided into R1P1, R2P1, andR3P1, Plot two is divided into R1P2, R2P2, and R3P2, Plot three is divided into R1P3, R2P3, and R3P3and Plot four is divided into R1P4, R2P4, and R3P4, Plot five is divided into R1P5, R2P5 and R3P5,Plot six is divided into R1P6, R2P6, and R3P6, plot seven is divided into R1 P7, R1P7, and R 1P7, ploteight R1P8, R1 P8, and R1 P8 respectively.The moisture used by sunflower and maize plants were extracted mostly from depth of 0-60cm,while the peak consumptive use by the sunflower crop is 23.85mm/week which was recorded onR1 P2 from 42-46 days after planting and that of maize is on R2P3 which is 21.4mm/week from 62-66days after planting. The rate of evapotranspiration for the plants increased from small value toattains peak point and then decreased as the crop reached its maturity stage. The peak moisturecontent of the soil over growing season for sunflower is at 30-65cm and decreases with number ofdays after planting, and that of maize Crop is at 42-65 cm and decrease with number of days afterplanting as the crop reached its maturity stage.