Abstract
Rainwater collection systems are alternative water supply methods providing environmental and economic benefits compared to traditional water supply methods used in arid and semi-arid climates with water shortages. Rainwater harvested in greenhouse roof by rain gutters can be used to irrigate and grow the plants cultivated in greenhouses. However, rain gutters and storage tanks in greenhouses should be of sufficient size to collect rainwater. Water consumption of plants in the greenhouse should be calculated correctly to determine the storage size in greenhouses. The amount of annual irrigation water harvested from rainfall in Kirsehir province where total rainfall is 388.3 l/m2 was determined as 349.57 l/m2 based on rainfall factor of 0.9. Total amount of irrigation water needed by the plants in the unheated greenhouse between April and September for single crop cultivation was 568.33 l/m2. The results revealed that 61.49% of irrigation water needed for plants can be met by rainwater harvesting. In addition, 47.74% of the total water demand of plants in the heated greenhouse where crops are grown throughout a year can be met by rainwater harvesting. The storage capacities needed for unheated and heated greenhouses were determined as 0.21 m3/m2 and 0.30 m3/m2 depending on the amount of rainwater harvested. The results showed that rainwater harvesting may contribute to the improvement of agricultural activities in water-scarce regions.
Highlights
Water harvesting is the collection and storage of surface runoff for various purposes in arid and semi-arid regions where commonly used sources such as streams or wells are scarce
The results of study indicated that large portion of irrigation water demand in heated (61.49%) and unheated (47.74%) greenhouses in Kırşehir province where rainfall is very low can be met by rainwater harvesting in the greenhouses
The storage capacity of the unheated greenhouse was determined as 0.21 m3/m2 and 0.30 m3/m2 for the heated greenhouse
Summary
Water harvesting is the collection and storage of surface runoff for various purposes in arid and semi-arid regions where commonly used sources such as streams or wells are scarce. Water resources in semi-arid and arid regions are the most important limiting factors of plant growth. The rainwater on greenhouse roof can be used to irrigate plants grown in the greenhouses if properly harvested and stored. The information on evapotranspiration in a greenhouse is important for successful plant growth, calculation of irrigation water consumption, and deposition and storage of rainwater (von Zabeltitz, 2011). Rainwater harvesting (RWH) can be an effective alternative water supply solution in regions affected by severe water scarcity. The water harvesting recently become an important option for water supply in arid and semi-arid areas due to its benefits and cost-effectiveness (Liuzzo et al, 2016). Investigating potential new sources for irrigation can contribute to the development of more efficient agricultural activities by reducing the amount of irrigation water from costly public waters, wells, rivers or canals that can be extremely contaminated (Lupia and Pulighe, 2015)
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