Water productivity under deficit irrigation using onion as indicator crop

Abstract

Improving water productivity (WP) through deficit irrigation is crucial in water-scarce areas. To practice deficit irriga-tion, the optimum level of water deficit that maximizes WP must be investigated. In this study, a field experiment was con-ducted to examine WP of the three treatments at available soil water depletion percentage (����) of 25% (reference), 45% and 65% using a drip irrigation system. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design. The water deficit was allowed throughout the growth stages after transplanting except for the first 15 days of equal amounts of irrigations during the initial growth stage and 20 days enough spring season rainfall during bulb enlargement periods. Physical WP in terms of water use efficiency (WUEf) for treatments T1, T2, and T3 was 9.44 kg∙m–3, 11 kg∙m–3and 10.6 kg∙m–3 for mar-ketable yields. The WUEf and economic water productivity were significantly improved by T2 and T3. The WUEf differ-ence between T2 and T3 was insignificant. However, T2 can be selected as an optimal irrigation level. Hence, deficit irriga-tion scheduling is an important approach for maximizing WP in areas where water is the main constraint for crop produc-tion. The planting dates should be scheduled such that the peak water requirement periods coincide with the rainy system.