EFFECT OF SOIL CONDITIONERS ON SUBSURFACE DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM PERFORMANCE

Abstract

The application of soil conditions is considered as a good management practices in any agricultural production system. The objectives of the present study was to evaluate the effect of organic and synthetic of soil conditions (compost, rice straw and polymers), on cucumber under subsurface trickle irrigation. A field experiments were carried out at El-Hussien farm, Cairo-Alexandria road during the two summer seasons 2014 to 2015. The results showed that using compost with anti roots treatment 4 l/h achives higher yield and water use efficiency (WUE) kg/m3 of cucumber grown in a sandy soil. For soil conditioners the yield was 2.12, 1.5 and 1.4 times greater, in the compost with antiroot treatment comparing with rice straw treatments, polymers treatments, and control treatments respectively. The WUE was 10.16% and 11.8% greater in the compost with anti root treatment comparing with compost with built in treatments and compost with t-tape, respectively, for the first season, while it was greater by 8.34% and 9.5% than compost with built in treatments and compost with t-tape, respectively, for the second season. Data from this study indicate that cucumber yield can be improved under SSDI if compost is used.