Abstract
Despite numerous researches investigated on subsurface drip irrigation (SDI), local information about the response of eggplant growth and water dynamics on SDI still very limited in Tunisia. Results showed that lower values of soil water contents were obtained under traditional drip irrigation (DI) treatment, as a consequence of higher evaporative demand. Leaf area, the number of fruits per plant, as well as the crop yield obtained on SDI treatment, resulted significantly higher (P = 0.05) than the corresponding measured on DI treatment. The better performance associated to SDI compared to DI, was due to the minor evaporation losses from the soil surface and consequently higher irrigation water use efficiency. When the drip laterals were buried, the wet bulbs in the soil induced the concentration of roots around the points where water is applied. Moreover, the occurrence of capillary rise could contribute to a redistribution of water stock around zones of active roots.
Highlights
While scarcity of water resources is an intrinsic feature of the climate of the Maghreb countries, this phenomenon is accentuating in the recent decades, with more frequent drought period
According to the statistical comparisons the leaf area, the number of fruits per plant, as well as the crop yield obtained on subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) treatment, resulted significantly higher (P=0.05) than the corresponding measured on drip irrigation (DI) treatment
Patel and Rajput (2007), during three years of experiments in which investigated the effects of five installation depths on potato crop yield, evidenced that placing the driplines on soil surface or at 5 cm depth, determines evaporation losses due to the upward water movement up to 21.5% higher than the those obtained with dispending pipes installed at lower depths
Summary
While scarcity of water resources is an intrinsic feature of the climate of the Maghreb countries, this phenomenon is accentuating in the recent decades, with more frequent drought period. Advanced in plastic manufacturing technology, associated to improved reliability and reduced installation costs have recently determined, even in Tunisia, the widespread use of drip irrigation systems for intensive horticultural crops, and in few cases by means of subsurface applications. Since the introduction of coextruded pipes, with emitters welded in during the manufacturing process, subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) has been considered the most advanced method of irrigation. These systems provide the application of small amounts of water to the soil through emitters installed below the soil surface, with discharge rates generally in the same range as surface drip irrigation (ASAE, 2005). A longer system life is ensured being the dispensing line not exposed to sun and external weather conditions
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