Assessing the application of modern irrigation systems under greenhouse and open field conditions on the productivity of different crops (eggplants case)

Abstract

Optimal management of water resources to increase water productivity of crops remains one of the main research topics worldwide, particularly in semiarid countries like Egypt. In this framework, objective of this research is to assess the response of crops to surface and subsurface drip irrigation systems, imputed soil characteristics, water productivity and yield indices under greenhouse and open fields conditions, field experements are performed using eggplant crop. Results show that for surface drip irrigation, the pH, EC, Ca++ and NO3- are slightly higher than that obtained for mature soil before experiment. For the Greenhouse using surface and subsurface drip irrigation systems; EC, Ca and pH increased compared to the open field conditions. Using greenhouse under surface and subsurface drip irrigation for eggplant saves 17.5 and 18.8% of applied irrigation water in the first season, and 17.2 and 18.3% in the second season respectively. Water productivity increased by 94.95 and 96.2% in the first season and 89.9 and 90.9% in the second season, compared to open field. Net returns of greenhouse are 89.62 and 81.71% higher than open field under surface and subsurface drip irrigation in the first season, while in the second season the values are 83.7 and 75.9% respectively.