Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Soils, Water and Environ. Res. Inst. (SWERI); Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
2
Agric. Eng. Dept., Fac. of Agric., Zagazig Univ., Egypt.
3
Currently: Int. Center for Agric. Res. in the Dry Areas (ICARDA).
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at El-Intelaq area, West Nubaria region, Behaira Governorate (31o 02' N, 30o 28' E, and 6.7 m above mean sea level), Egypt during the 2012 and 2013 summer growing seasons to study the effect of three irrigation treatments (i.e., I1=75%, I2 = 100%, and I3 = 125% of reference ETo, which was estimated from class ‘A’ pan evaporation and Kpan=0.75, two nitrogen fertilizer levels (i.e., N1= 75%, and N2=100% of recommended nitrogen rate), and two crop residuals mulching treatments (i.e., M0 = without mulch, and M = with mulch) on tomato yield, amounts of applied irrigation water, water consumption, applied water productivity (AWP), leaf water potential, and to develop a local tomato crop coefficient (Kc) and yield response factor (Ky) under the experimental conditions. Results indicated that, the tested variables had significant effect on tomato yield in the two growing seasons. The highest tomato fruit yields of 80.57 and 64.42 ton/ha were obtained as a result of the interaction of I3 (125%ETo) and N2 treatment in the two growing seasons, respectively. Total depths of applied irrigation water and water consumption of 816.2 and 838.0mm and 573 and 574mm were recorded in the 1st and 2nd growing seasons, respectively, for the I3 irrigation treatment. In both seasons, the highest AWPs values were 9.73 and 9.42 kg/m3 due to the combined effect of irrigation treatment I1 (75% Epan) and N2 (100% of recommended nitrogen fertilizer). Leaf water potential values were lower with the high applied water treatment than with the stressed irrigation treatment. Average crop coefficient values were 0.51 at initial growth stage during June and reached its maximum value of 0.98 during August, and then decreased to 0.71 during October. The local seasonal average tomato crop coefficient (KC=ETc/ETo) and yield response factor (Ky) values under the experimental conditions were 0.74 and 0.82, respectively. It was concluded that, under similar field conditions, applying a depth of water equal to 125% of ETo and 100% of the recommended nitrogen fertilizer, and adding plant residue mulch is recommended for maximum tomato yield in the studied sandy soils under drip irrigation systems.
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