Optimizing Bed Width and Orifice Flow Rate for Wheat Crop Irrigation in The Nile Delta عرض المصاطب ومعدل تدفق الفتحات الامثل لري محصول القمح في دلتا النيل

Abstract

A field study was conducted at Gemmeiza Research Station, Gharbia Governorate, middle of Nile Delta, Egypt, having a clay textured soil during two winter seasons of 2017/2018 and 2018/2019. The aim of the current research was to investigate the impact of wheat planting method and flow rate on irrigation efficiency and grain yield under surface irrigation system. To achieve this purpose three planting methods (F: flat method, bed width of 120cm (W120) and bed width of 80cm (W80) under three orifice flow rates (Q1 = 1.0 L/s, Q2 = 1.5 L/s and Q3 = 2.0 L/s) were applied to closed end long furrows of 50 m length without dikes. The main results cleared out that; the shortest advance time of 64 min was obtained at treatment of (W80+Q3). The lowest total applied water of 1407 m3/fed. was obtained by the treatment (W120+Q3) which saved irrigation water by about 58.7% comparing with the highest treatment (F+Q1=3403 m3/fed). The highest water application efficiency, water uniformity coefficient (Cu), wheat grain yield and water productivity were 67.8%, 75.4%, 3100 kg/fed and 2.2 kg/m3, respectively accomplished by the treatment (W120+Q3). The highest values of straw yield, number of spikes/m2 and 1000 grain weight (g) were 6500 kg/fed, 418 spikes/m2 and 54.1 g, respectively were achieved by treatment (W120 + Q3).