The effect of different irrigation treatments on yield and water productivity of Arachis Hypogaea L. under semi‐arid conditions in Iran

Abstract

AbstractThe aim of this study was to assess the impacts of varied irrigation regimes on the yield, irrigation water productivity (IWP) and crop water productivity (CWP) of Arachis hypogaea L. under pressurized irrigation in the south‐west of Iran (Hamidiyeh, Khuzestan Province, Iran). The test was performed in a split‐plot pattern. The main treatments were three irrigation frequencies (Fs) based on varied levels of cumulative pan evaporation (CPE) amounts (F1: 35 mm; F2: 60 mm; F3: 85 mm of CPE). The subtreatments were seven irrigation water levels (Is) (I1 = 60%, I2 = 85%, I3 = 100%, I4 = 135% (of actual evapotranspiration (ETc)), I5 = PRZD60, I6 = PRZD85 and I7 = PRZD100 treatments) with four replications. The partial root‐zone drying (PRZD) treatments received 60, 85 and 100% of the actual evapotranspiration (ETc), respectively, from replacing laterals. Crops were planted on 1 June 2017 and 1 June 2018. The results indicated that the F2I4 treatment in both years showed the greatest peanut yield (PY). Moreover, in order to avoid greater PY loss the PRZD method was a proper and favourable option compared with traditional deficit irrigation (DI). However, PY declined by an average of 11.1 and 3.4% compared to the F2I4 treatment in 2017 and 2018, respectively, but the F2I7 treatment had about 16.3 and 16.1% lower water value than the F2I4 treatment. PRZD treatments (I5 and I6) have effective amended PY than deficit irrigation treatments (I1 and I2) in both growing seasons, whereas these treatments received the same amount of moisture for all Fs (F1, F2 and F3). In the end, crop water productivity and IWP amounts also declined with rising irrigation frequency. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.