ASSESSMENT OF LOW HEAD IRRIGATION SYSTEMS AND SOIL MULCHING TO SAVE WATER FOR MAIZE CULTIVATION

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Prof. of Irrig. and Drain. Eng., Ag. Eng. Dept., Fac. of Ag., Suez Canal U., Egypt.

2 Prof. of Irrig. and Drain. Eng., Ag. Eng. Dept., Fac. of Ag., Zagazig U., Egypt.

3 Researcher at the Plant Protection Institute, Agricultural Research Center (A.R.C.), Cairo, Egypt.

4 Assoc. Prof. of Irrig. and Drain. Eng., Ag. Eng. Dept., Fac. of Ag., Suez Canal U., Egypt.

Abstract

Irrigation techniques are critical in reducing water consumption while maintaining or improving yield. A simple low-head bubbler with a high-water application uniformity (CU) of greater than or equal to 85 % was developed as an alternative to traditional furrow irrigation for producing intensive crops. For the evaluation of four bubbler designs with drip and furrow irrigation systems for maize production, a 20m lateral length was employed. The bubblers had two inside diameters (ID) of 8.8 and 13.6mm, each at a distance of 2 and 4m. The field application efficiency (Ea) of the different irrigation systems was estimated. For drip irrigation, it was (92.3%), while for furrow irrigation, it was only (63%). The two bubbler sizes, 8.8mm and 13.6mm, had better application efficiency at a short interval distance of 2m (80 and 82%), respectively. Then, compare the effects of different plastic mulch (M) and plastic mulch plus straw (M+S) soil covers to uncovered (Un) soil in terms of maize crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE). with (M), the WUE of grain and straw were for instance, under drip, bubbler 13.6mm at 2, bubbler 8.8mm at 2m, bubbler 13.6mm at 4m, furrow, and bubbler 8.8mm at 4m, in descending order, (0.92 and 0.98), (0.89 and 0.93), (0.79 and 0.91), (0.77 and 0.89), (0.72 and 0.87), and (0.70 and 0.85kg/m3, respectively. With the evaluated irrigation systems, the WUE values for (Un) and covered by (M+S) exhibit the same pattern as covered by M. 

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References

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