Highest Water Productivity Values Research Articles

Influence of Irrigation Water Deficit on Forage Yield, and Water Utilization Efficiency for Sorghum and Cowpea Forage Crops

The present study was carried out at Sakha Agricultural Research Station (clayey soils) during 2018 and 2019 to find out the role of water deficit on yield and some water relations for sorghum and cowpea summer forage crops. Three irrigation levels were executed; 100% (full irrigation), 90% (10% deficit) and 80% (20% deficit). Results showed that increasing water deficit, markedly led to decreasing fresh, dry yield and plant height at the three cuts in the two seasons. Regarding water relations, irrigation level with 90% (10% deficit) resulted in several advantages; almost same yield as recorded under full irrigation, 10% water saving as well as the highest values of water productivity (WP) and productivity of irrigation water (PIW). The mean values of fresh sorghum forage yield can be arranged in descending order as; 2917.0 > 2857.5 > 2561.0 kg.plot-1, while the corresponding values of the dry weight were; 381.6> 367.8> 319.6 kg.plot-1. Plant height for cowpea slightly affected with different irrigation treatments. On the contrary, both fresh and dry yields were significantly affected with water level or deficit irrigation. Moreover, the effect was highly significant in connection with the combined analysis. In this regard, mean values of fresh yield descending arranged as; 1502.5> 1447.0> 1321.5 kg.plot-1 for treatments A(control), B (90%) and C (80%), respectively. The corresponding values regarding dry yield are 253.5, 241.0 and 215.4 kg.plot-1. Comparing the deficit treatments with the control irrigation (Trt. A), overall mean decrease in fresh yield was 3.7% for treatment B (90%) and 12% for treatment C (80%). While, the corresponding decrease in dry yield were 4.9% and 15.0%.We can conclude that forage yield of sorghum and cowpea not affect by water irrigation deficit about 10% at Middle North Nile Delta area.

Impact of colored water pillows on yield and water productivity of pepper under greenhouse conditions

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of colored water pillows on yield and water productivity of two pepper cultivars under greenhouse conditions in 2018 and 2019. Irrigation treatments were arranged as: drip without mulching, black water pillow, blue water pillow, drip+black mulching and drip+blue mulching. The first year, total plant water consumption amount was about 421 mm for drip and 301 mm for the other treatments and respectively as 439 and 305 mm in the second year. In both years, approximately 38% less water was applied in water pillow irrigation treatments. Significant differences were not observed in yields of water pillow and drip+mulching treatments, but drip irrigation treatments were found to be significantly different from the other treatments in both years. For Captain capia and Yellow Stone chili pepper cultivars, as the average of two years, the highest yields were obtained from water pillow treatments as 39.65 and 32.3 t ha−1, respectively, and the lowest yields were obtained from the drip irrigation treatments as 28.9 and 22.7 t ha−1. There were significant differences in irrigation water productivity (IWP) and water productivity (WP) values of drip irrigation and the other treatments. For Captain capia and Yellow Stone chili pepper, as the average of two years, the highest IWP values were obtained from the water pillow treatments as 121.3 and 96.8 kg ha−1 mm−1, and the lowest IWP value was obtained from the drip irrigation treatments as 65 kg ha−1 mm−1. Similarly, the highest WP values were obtained from the water pillow treatments as 129.5 and 103.25 kg ha−1 mm−1, and the lowest WP value was obtained from the drip treatments as 52.5 kg ha−1 mm−1. A great energy saving was achieved with water pillow method. The amount of energy used in water pillow was about 2% and 5% of the energy used in drip and drip+mulching treatments, respectively. In both years, water pillow and drip+mulching treatments had higher soil temperatures than drip treatment as 1.3 °C. Weeds were not encountered in water pillows and drip+mulching treatments. In conclusion, present findings revealed that water pillows were clearly superior to drip irrigation. Although yield values of water pillows and drip+mulching treatments were not significantly different, no extra energy demand, inherent mulching characteristics and quite low labor costs have made water pillows more advantages over drip+mulching treatments.

Impact of Irrigation Water Source on Microirrigation Systems Performance and Productivity of Leaf Vegetable Crops تأثیر مصدر ماء الری على آداء نظم الری الدقیق وانتاجیة محاصیل الخضر الورقیة

Two field experiments were carried out during summer seasons of 2019 and 2020 in Horticulture farm, Faculty of Agricultural, Kafr El-Sheikh University, North of the Nile Delta, Egypt, having a clay textured soil to evaluate the effect of drainage of fish ponds on microirrigation systems performance and summer cabbage production. Study variables were; two microirrigation systems (drip system D and microsprinkler system MS), two sources for irrigation (traditional water “TW” and drainage of fish ponds “DF”) and three nitrogen doses (100% N, 70% N and 40% N). For traditional water “TW” (100% N) only was applied. The results referred to that, “DF” increased the reduction in emitter flow rate at end of growing season comparing with “TW”. The lowest reduction was achieved by (TW+ 100% N) as 6.1 and 3.0 % for “D” and “MS” systems respectively. The highest uniformity coefficient (CU) at end of growing season achieved by (TW+ 100% N) as 87 and 84 % for “D” and “MS” systems respectively. “D” system achieved the highest head yield while “MS” system achieved the highest head diameter. The highest head yield was achieved by (DF + 100% N) as 110 and 87.4 ton/fed. for “D” and “MS” respectively. The highest values of water productivity were obtained by (DF + 100% N) as 49.7 and 44.7 kg/m3 for “D” and “MS” respectively. The highest values of nitrogen productivity were obtained by (DF + 40% N) as 1170.8 and 1045.8 kgyeild/kgN for “D” and “MS” respectively.

Using Raised Bed and Irrigation cut-off for Saving Irrigation Water and Increasing Wheat Productivity in North Nile Delta

In Egypt, surface irrigation and irrigation till the tail end of the furrows or borders are commonly used with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and other crops, but they lead to poor aeration and ineffective use of water and fertilizers. Therefore, raised beds planting method and cut-off irrigation improve wheat productivity and raise water and fertilizer use efficiencies. A field experiment was carried out in two winter growing seasons (2017/18 and 2018/19) at Sakha Agricultural Research Station Farm, Kafr EL-sheikh Governorate. The objective was to evaluate the impact of raised bed and irrigation cut-off on growth and yield of wheat (Misr-1 variety), some water relations and the contribution of ground water table on water consumption. A split plot design was used with three replicates. The main plots were occupied by raised bed treatments: farmer's conventional flat planting method (F1), furrow 60 cm width (F2) and furrow 120 cm width (F3). The sub plots were devoted to irrigation cut-off treatments: cut-off at 100% of strip length, C100% (control), cut-off at 90% of strip length (C90%) and cut-off at 80% of strip length (C80%). The results revealed that C90% combined with F3 achieved the lowest values of seasonal applied water and water consumptive use and the highest values of water productivity (9.69 L.E m-3), water application efficiency (Ea) and grain and straw yields. On the other hand, C80% recorded the highest contribution value of ground water table (CGWT) of water consumption (21.4%), leading to increase of water saving. (with 34.05% increase)

Effect of Deficit Irrigation and Biochar Application on Growth, Yield Components , Water Use Efficiency and Water Productivity of Banana ( Musa sapientum) Grown in Sandy Soil Under Drip Irrigation تاثیر نقص الرى وإضافة البیوتشار على کفاءة إستخدام المیاه والانتاجیة المائیة لمحصول الموز المزروع فى التربة الرملیة تحت نظام الرى بالتنقیط

A two-season field experiment was conducted investigate the effect of deficit irrigation treatments: 100% (D1), 80% (D2) and 60% (D3) of the crop evapotranspiration (ETc) and biochar application: 0.2 wt.% (B1) and 0.4 wt.% (B2) on the growth , water use efficiency (WUE) and Water Productivity (WP) of banana plant grown in sandy soil under drip irrigation. Results indicated that all bananas’ vegetative growth parameters, and the fruit yield and its measured quality parameters were significantly impacted (P˂0.05) by treatments. Results showed that the highest yield of banana (36.20 and 36.38 ton/fed.) was recorded with D1B2 treatment in both seasons, while the lowest yield (21.23 and 21.73 ton/fed.) was recorded due to D3B1 treatment (60 % of ETc + 0.2 wt.% biochar) in both seasons. The total soluble solids, total sugars, and starch contents of banana fruit exhibited significant differences between all treatments of deficit irrigation and biochar application while its total acidity was not significantly impacted in both seasons. The maximum values of WUE (4.65 and 4.90 kg / m3) were as associated with D2B2 treatment (80 % of ETc + 0.4 wt. % biochar) in both seasons. The highest values of WP were associated with D2B2 treatment (9.57 LE/m3), followed by D1B2 treatment (8.15 LE/m3) while the lowest value of WP was due to D3B1 treatment in both seasons. This data indicates that combination of 80% of ETc and 0.4 wt. % biochar has saved a significant amount of irrigation water (20% reduction in irrigation water) without a compromise over neither the banana yield nor its fruits quality.

Effect of Deficit Irrigation, Air injection and Nitrogen Fertilization on Water Productivity of Carrot under Subsurface Drip Irrigation System.

A field study was conducted in 2017-2018 to evaluate the effect of deficit irrigation, air injection and nitrogen fertilization on yield and water productivity of carrot under subsurface drip irrigation system. Experimental treatments were three levels ofdeficit irrigation (60%, 80% and 100%) of full crop water requirements and three types of nitrogen fertilizer(nitric acid(HNO3)48 % N, urea CO(NH2)2 46% N and ammonium nitrate(NH4NO3)33.5% N, with air injection treatment (12% air by volume of water). The results show that the yield and water productivity as well as the length of carrot root significantly increased for air injection treatments. On the other hand, the carrot diameter increase was not significant. The highest value of the carrot root yield (19.487 ton/fed) was obtained due to deficit irrigation 60% (I60%) and ammonium nitrate(NH4NO3)with air injection. Also, treatment of deficit irrigation (I80%) and urea fertilization CO(NH2)2 with air injection resulted 17.437 (ton/ fed) carrot roots which was significantly higher than that of non-air injection treatments. Also,the highest values of water productivity of carrot were 185.189 and 101.376 kg/m3obtained due to(I60%) with (NH4NO3)and co(NH2)2underair injection treatments, respectively. The highest lengths of carrot (cm) were 19.800 and 19.000 (cm)obtained due to (I80%) with CO(NH2)2and (I100%) with (NH4NO3), under air injection treatments, respectively. The highest values of carrotdiameter were 42.153 and 41.260 (mm) obtained due to treatment of full irrigation(I100%) and(NH4NO3) fertilizer withoutair injection and the treatment (I80%) and CO(NH2)2 fertilizer with air injection, respectively. Data from this study indicate that carrot yield and its water productivity can be improved byaerated sub surface drip irrigation system(SSDI).

Response of Rice Yield and Soil to Sulfur Application under Water and Salinity Stresses

TWO FIELD experiments were conducted at El-Sirw Agricultural Research Station, Damietta Governorate, Egypt during summer seasons of 2015 and 2016 to investigate the effect of three irrigation intervals ( 3 , 6 and 9 days ) and four soil application of sulfur rates ( 0 , 200 , 400 and 600 kg S/ ha ) and their interaction on the soil properties , growth characters, yield and yield components as well as water productivity of rice under saline soil conditions. In each experiment , strip plot design with four replications was used , where the horizontal plots were devoted to the irrigation intervals and the vertical plots were allocated by the sulfur rates. Irrigation every 3 days significantly decreased the values of the soil chemical properties studied , i.e. soil acidity (pH) , electrical conductivity (EC) and bulk density but significantly increased growth characters , i.e. chlorophyll content, leaf area, dry matter production and number of tillers/ hill and plant height as well as yield and yield components, i.e. number of panicles/ hill , panicle length , panicle weight, number of filled grains/ panicle , fertility % , 1000-grain weight , grain and biological yields/ ha and harvest index as compared with irrigation every 6 and 9 days. However , irrigation every 9 days significantly increased the number of unfilled grains/ panicle. Increasing soil application of sulfur rates up to 600 kg S/ ha decreased the values of soil properties (pH , EC and bulk density) as well as significantly and gradually increased the aforementioned growth characters as well as yield and yield components but significantly decreased number of unfilled grains/ panicle. The interaction effect between irrigation intervals and sulfur application rates , indicate that grain and biological yields/ ha were increased by the application of sulfur rates up to 400 kg S/ ha under short irrigation interval (3 days) and up to 600 kg S/ ha under medium and and long irrigation intervals (6 and 9 days). The irrigation of rice plants every 3 days consumed the largest amount of irrigation water, while prolonging the irrigation intervals up to 6 and 9 days led to a gradual decrease in the amount of irrigation water consumed by 12.99 and 37.31% , respectively compared with the irrigation every 3 days. Irrigation of rice plants every 6 days with the application of sulfur at a rate of 600 kg S/ ha produced the highest values of water productivity (0.296 kg/ m3 water) as an average of both seasons, indicating to the beneficial effect of the application of sulfur for improving soil properties , growth , yield and yield components as well as water productivity especially under prolonged irrigation interval in saline soil condition.

Water productivity in fruit trees orchards under water scarcity

With growing water shortages, agriculture faces the challenge of increasing water productivity (WP). In this work, WP of two main crops, peach and olive, is evaluated for different cultivars and deficit irrigation practices. WP in peach was estimated over 4-7 years for three cultivars (early, mid-season and late-maturing), two rootstocks and two deficit irrigation strategies. In terms of yield/total water supply, the late maturing cultivar subjected to mild deficit irrigation, gave the highest WP (4.1 kg m-3), compared to the mid-season (3.0 kg m-3) and early cultivar (1.9 kg m-3). Full irrigation reduced slightly the performance of the most productive cultivar (3.7 kg m-3). Performances of early and mid-season cultivars were affected by rootstock. Interaction between mild deficit irrigation and vigorous rootstock induced better WP. Experimental work in olives targeted WP under contrasted environments. In northern Tunisia (450 mm annual rainfall), average yield for three cultivars ('Picholine', 'Chetoui' and 'Mansanille') planted at 6×6 m spacing on a clay soil, varied between 3.9-4.7 and 4.7-6.1 t ha-1, respectively when irrigation was increased from 100 to 200 mm. Under these restrictive conditions, the highest WP values were obtained for 'Picholine', respectively 0.77 and 0.86 kg m-3. However, in southern Tunisia (200 mm rainfall), the 'Chemlali' cultivar, conducted under intensive planting (4×4 m) on sandy soils, showed a drastic increase in production. With irrigation water supply of 200-400 mm, average yield reached 10-12 t ha-1, and WP 2.1 kg m-3. Adaptation to water scarcity is discussed on the basis of the obtained results.