Impact of Overhead Floppy Sprinkler and Water Stress on Uniformity and Wheat Yield

Abstract

The effect of different overhead heights, pressures and water stress to determine high uniformity and water relations of wheat as well as yield and yield components under overhead floppy sprinkler was addressed in this study. The experiments and measurements were designed and implemented at the experimental farm of ElSalhia, ElSharkia Governorate, Egypt during the winter season of 2018-2019 to study. The uniformity coefficient (UC) and uniformity distribution (UD) were calculated under five levels of pressure (100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 kPa), four overhead heights (1, 2, 3 and 4 m) and water stress (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% of evapotranspiration (ETc)). The results indicated that the highest values of UC and UD 72.14 and 58.13%, respectively were succeeded with pressure of 200 kPa and 3 m height for overhead floppy. Also, the results showed that water stress from 20 to 100% ETc with optimum operating conditions were carried out to get up high wheat production. The total yield and yield components were increased with decreased water stress. Also, the total yield was increased with increasing ETc from 20 to 100%. The grain and straw yield values were increased by 68.98, 66.55, 55.66 and 35.35% & 69.70, 64.29, 50.00 and 44.44% compared with 20% for overhead floppy. The maximum yield production and components were achieved with 100% ETc, while water use efficiency (WUE) with 20% ETc was maximum value. Finally, under the current experimental conditions, it could be concluded that the application of irrigation water 100% ETc under pressure of 200 kPa and 3 m overhead height with high UC and UD for overhead floppy sprinkler was the best system for obtaining high wheat yield production. On the other hand, using the application of irrigation water 80% ETc could be suggested to get high yield production and save water which will lead to deal with future water scarcity.