Effects of drip and alternate furrow method of irrigation on cotton yield and physical water productivity: A case study from farmers’ field of Bhavnagar district of Gujarat, India

Abstract

With the growing irrigation water scarcity, the researchers and policymakers are more concerned to improve the irrigation water use efficiency at farmers’ field level. The water-saving technologies provide greater control over water delivery to the crop root zone and reduce the non-beneficial evaporation from the crop field. Water productivity is an important concept for measuring and comparing water use efficiency. The present study tried to estimate the irrigation water use and physical water productivity of cotton under alternate furrow and drip irrigation methods in the Bhavnagar district of Gujarat. Results suggest that crop yield and physical water productivity were higher for cotton irrigated by drip method than alternate furrow method during normal rainfall and drought year. The irrigation water use under the drip method of irrigation was lower as compared to the alternate furrow method. In the case of total water (effective rainfall + irrigation water) use, per hectare crop yield and physical water productivity were higher for the drip method of irrigation than the alternate furrow method of irrigating cotton crop during normal rainfall and drought year. In the case of total water use (effective rainfall + irrigation water), it was lower for drip irrigation than the alternate furrow method of irrigating cotton crop during normal rainfall year and drought year. While estimating total water (effective rainfall + irrigation water) use, it was assumed that there is no return flow of water from the cotton field in the study area under both irrigation methods.