The effect of deficit irrigation, partial root drying and mulching on tomato yield, and water and energy saving*

Abstract

AbstractPartial root drying (PRD) is a modified irrigation strategy form of deficit irrigation (DI) to improve water productivity. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of PRD, DI and organic mulching on water and energy conservation, as well as tomato yield. A field trial was carried out during the 2019 and 2020 summer seasons in Kafr El‐Sheikh governorate, Egypt. The main plots were assigned for the irrigation treatments, full irrigation with 100% of crop evapotranspiration, ETc (I1), deficit irrigation with 85% of ETc (I2) and 70% of ETc (I3), meanwhile the subplots were allocated for irrigation strategies of irrigating plants from one side only (P1), PRD (P2), and continuous irrigation plants from both sides (P3), and sub‐subplots were allocated for no mulching (M1) and mulching (M2) treatments. The results showed that, compared to I1, tomato growth parameters and yield were reduced significantly for the I2 and I3 treatments. The tomato yield and water consumptive use were reduced by 3.4 and 5.3%, respectively, for the I2 treatment and 28.1 and 18.2%, respectively, for the I3 treatment. Water and energy productivity (WEP) increased by 34 and 47% for the I2 and I3 treatments, respectively. Organic mulching and PRD enhanced tomato growth parameters and yield, productivity of irrigation water and WEP. It was concluded, that I2 × P2 × M2 interaction enhanced tomato yield while reducing water and energy consumption.