Effect of Drip Irrigation Manners and Perlite Application on Water Consumption and Water Use Efficiency for Potato Crop

Abstract

A field study was conducted at the Agricultural Research Station affiliated to the College of Agriculture, located in Al-Buetha area, Al-Ramadi district, central Anbar province, Iraq. (33°26′40" N latitude and 48°10′43" E longitude). The study was carried out during the autumn season in 2022 in a sedimentary soil with a sandy clay loam texture. The study aimed to investigate the role of surface and subsurface drip irrigation methods, along with the perlite addition, in terms of water consumption and water use efficiency for potato crop. The study included two main factors. The first factor was the irrigation system, which consisted of two methods: surface drip irrigation (SD) and subsurface drip irrigation (SSD). The second factor was the perlite application, which had three levels: without perlite (control treatment, P0), addition of half the calculated amount of perlite at a depth of 0.20m from the soil surface (Ph), and addition the full calculated amount of perlite at the same depth (Pf). The experimental design used was a randomized complete block design (RCBD). potato tubers (variety of EL BEIDA) were planted on September 27, 2022. Irrigation was scheduled when 50% of the available water was depleted, based on evaporation pan Class A. The results of the study showed that the best water consumption value for the potato crop was achieved under subsurface drip irrigation with the addition of both full and half amounts of perlite, with a value of 290.40 mm per season. Subsurface drip irrigation method significantly superior to surface drip irrigation in terms of water use efficiency, especially when full and half amounts of perlite were added, with values of 252.28 and 218.70 kg m-3, respectively.