Abstract
Innovative irrigation techniques should be implemented to improve irrigation management in dryland countries. In this regard, a new scheme, that uses three sets of irrigation depth and numerically simulated cumulative transpiration, was evaluated in the Egyptian Nile delta in 2020. Presuming that water is volumetrically priced, the proposed scheme can maximize net incomes at optimum irrigation depths considering quantitative weather forecasts. A field experiment was carried out with a randomized complete block design using a major crop, maize, to assess the feasibility of the proposed scheme in comparison to a sensor-based irrigation method under conditions of dry climate and clay loamy soil. The proposed scheme could increase the gross net income of farmers and conserve irrigation by 21% and 35%, respectively, compared to a sensor-based irrigation method, although the yield and its components were almost the same with no significant statistical differences. The model could accurately simulate soil water content in the topsoil layers with a RMSE of 0.02 cm3 cm−3. The proposed scheme could be a useful tool to spare the costs of expensive soil monitoring sensors while saving water and improving net income.
Highlights
Irrigation management is a crucial practice in arid regions experiencing water shortage.Egypt is one of those countries, where agriculture is mostly dependent on the Nile River water
Leaf area index (LAI) increased at the same rate in both treatments, and the plant leaves began to senesce after 5 August (Figure 7a)
A field experiment was carried out in the Nile delta to evaluate the effectiveness of a new scheme to determine irrigation depth under the combination of dry climate and clay loamy soil
Summary
Irrigation management is a crucial practice in arid regions experiencing water shortage. Egypt is one of those countries, where agriculture is mostly dependent on the Nile River water. The rapid growth of the Egyptian population is exacerbating the stress on the water supply. According to the Ministry of water resources and irrigation of Egypt, the total water supply is 59.52 BCM/year, while the total current water demand is 80 BCM/year. The per capita share of renewable water resources is forecasted to reach 250 m3 /year in. The deficiency of available water resources evokes the development of new practical techniques adaptive for farmers to improve irrigation management
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