Alternate furrow irrigation of four fresh-market tomato cultivars under semi-arid condition of Ethiopia – Part I: Effect on fruit yield and quality

Scarcity of freshwater due to recurrent drought threatens the sustainable crop production in semi-arid regions of Ethiopia. Deficit irrigation is thought to be one of the promising strategies to increase water use efficiency (WUE) under scarce water resources. A study was carried out to investigate the effect of alternate furrow irrigation (AFI), deficit irrigation (DI) and full irrigation (FI) on marketable fruit yield, WUE and physio-chemical quality of four fresh-market tomato cultivars (Fetan, Chali, Cochoro and ARP Tomato d2) in 2013 and 2014. The results showed that marketable yield, numbers of fruits per plant and fruit size were not significantly affected by AFI and DI irrigations. WUE under AFI and DI increased by 36.7% and 26.1%, respectively with close to 30% irrigation water savings achieved. A different response of cultivars to irrigation treatments was found for marketable yield, number of fruits and fruit size, WUE, total soluble solids (TSS) of the fruit juice, titratable acids (TA) and skin thickness. Cochoro and Fetan performed well under both deficit irrigation treatments exhibited by bigger fruit size which led to higher WUE. ARP Tomato d2 showed good yields under well-watered conditions. Chali had consistently lower marketable fruit yield and WUE. TSS and TA tended to increase under deficit irrigation; however, the overall variations were more explained by irrigation treatments than by cultivars. It was shown that AFI is a suitable deficit irrigation practice to increase fresh yield, WUE and quality of tomato in areas with low water availability. However, AFI requires suitable cultivars in order to exploit its water saving potential.

Alternate furrow irrigation of four fresh-market tomato cultivars under semi-arid condition of Ethiopia – Part II: Physiological response

Understanding the variation in physiological response to deficit irrigation together with better knowledge on physiological characteristics of different genotypes that contribute to drought adaptation mechanisms would be helpful in transferring different irrigation technologies to farmers. A field experiment was carried to investigate the physiological response of four tomato cultivars (Fetan, Chali, Cochoro and ARP Tomato d2) to moderate water deficit induced by alternate furrow irrigation (AFI) and deficit irrigation (DI) under semi-arid condition of Ethiopia during 2013 and 2014. The study also aimed at identifying physiological attributes to the fruit yield of tomato under different deficit irrigation techniques. A factorial combination of irrigation treatments and cultivar were arranged in a complete randomized design with three replicates. Results showed that stomatal conductance (g_s) was significantly reduced while photosynthetic performance measured as chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv’/Fm’), relative water content (RWC) and leaf ash content remained unaffected under deficit irrigations. Significant differences among cultivars were found for water use efficiency (WUE), g_s, chlorophyll content (Chl_SPAD), normal difference vegetation index (NDVI), leaf ash content and fruit growth rate. However, cultivar differences in WUE were more accounted for by the regulation of g_s, therefore, g_s could be useful for breeders for screening large numbers of genotypes with higher WUE under deficit irrigation condition. The study result also demonstrated that cultivar with traits that contribute to achieve higher yields under deficit irrigation strategies has the potential to increase WUE.

A practical method of determining proper lengths of runs, sizes of furrow streams and spacing of furrows on irrigation lands : provisional /

Mode of access: Internet.

A case study on the economics of overhead irrigation in the lower Burdekin

Converting from an existing irrigation system is often seen as high risk by the land owner. The significant financial investment and the long period over which the investment runs is also complicated by the uncertainty associated with long term input costs (such as energy), crop production, and the continually evolving natural resource management rules and policy. Irrigation plays a pivotal part in the Burdekin sugarcane farming system. At present the use of furrow irrigation is by far the most common form due to the ease of use, relatively low operating cost and well established infrastructure currently in place. The Mulgrave Area Farmer Integrated Action (MAFIA) grower group, located near Clare in the lower Burdekin region, identified the need to learn about sustainable farming systems with a focus on the environment, social and economic implications. In early 2007, Hesp Faming established a site to investigate the use of overhead irrigation as an alternative to furrow irrigation and its integration with new farming system practices, including Green Cane Trash Blanketing (GCTB). Although significant environmental and social benefits exist, the preliminary investment analysis indicates that the Overhead Low Pressure (OHLP) irrigation system is not adding financial value to the Hesp Farming business. A combination of high capital costs and other offsetting factors resulted in the benefits not being fully realised. A different outcome is achieved if Hesp Farming is able to realise value on the water saved, with both OHLP irrigation systems displaying a positive NPV. This case study provides a framework to further investigate the economics of OHLP irrigation in sugarcane and it is anticipated that with additional data a more definitive outcome will be developed in the future.

Adoption of farm-based irrigation water-saving techniques in the Guanzhong Plain, China

This article analyses adoption of farm-based irrigation water saving techniques, based on a cross-sectional data set of 357 farmers in the Guanzhong Plain, China. Approximately 83% of the farmers use at least one farm-based water-saving technique. However, the traditional, inefficient techniques border and furrow irrigation are still prevalent whereas the use of advanced, more efficient techniques is still rather rare. We develop and estimate an adoption model consisting of two stages: awareness of water scarcity and intensity of adoption. We find that awareness of water scarcity and financial status enhance adoption of more advanced techniques whereas access to better community-based irrigation infrastructure discourages it. We furthermore find both community-based irrigation infrastructure and farm-based irrigation water-saving techniques have mitigating effects on production risk. From the results it follows that adoption can be stimulated via financial support and via extension aimed at enhancing awareness of water scarcity.

Clay pot irrigation for tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) production in the north east semiarid region of Ethiopia

Water shortage is one of the major constraints for production of horticultural crops in arid and semiarid regions. A field experiment was conducted to determine irrigation water and fertilizer use efficiency, growth and yield of tomato under clay pot irrigation at the experimental site of Sekota Dryland Agricultural Research Center, Lalibela, Ethiopia in 2009/10. The experiment comprised of five treatments including furrow irrigated control and clay pot irrigation with different plant population and fertilization methods, which were arranged in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The highest total and marketable fruit yields were obtained from clay pot irrigation combined with application of nitrogen fertilizer with irrigation water irrespective of difference in plant population. The clay pot irrigation had seasonal water use of up to 143.71 mm, which resulted in significantly higher water use efficiency (33.62 kg m^-3) as compared to the furrow irrigation, which had a seasonal water use of 485.50 mm, and a water use efficiency of 6.67 kg m^-3. Application of nitrogen fertilizer with irrigation water in clay pots improved fertilizer use efficiency of tomato by up to 52% than band application with furrow or clay pot irrigation. Thus, clay pot irrigation with 33,333 plants ha^-1 and nitrogen fertilizer application with irrigation water in clay pots was the best method for increasing the yield of tomato while economizing the use of water and nitrogen fertilizer in a semiarid environment.

Water-use efficiency and productivity trends in Australian irrigated cotton: a review

The aim of this review is to report changes in irrigated cotton water use from research projects and on-farm practice-change programs in Australia, in relation to both plant-based and irrigation engineering disciplines. At least 80% of the Australian cotton-growing area is irrigated using gravity surface-irrigation systems. This review found that, over 23 years, cotton crops utilise 6-7ML/ha of irrigation water, depending on the amount of seasonal rain received. The seasonal evapotranspiration of surface-irrigated crops averaged 729mm over this period. Over the past decade, water-use productivity by Australian cotton growers has improved by 40%. This has been achieved by both yield increases and more efficient water-management systems. The whole-farm irrigation efficiency index improved from 57% to 70%, and the crop water use index is >3kg/mm.ha, high by international standards. Yield increases over the last decade can be attributed to plant-breeding advances, the adoption of genetically modified varieties, and improved crop management. Also, there has been increased use of irrigation scheduling tools and furrow-irrigation system optimisation evaluations. This has reduced in-field deep-drainage losses. The largest loss component of the farm water balance on cotton farms is evaporation from on-farm water storages. Some farmers are changing to alternative systems such as centre pivots and lateral-move machines, and increasing numbers of these alternatives are expected. These systems can achieve considerable labour and water savings, but have significantly higher energy costs associated with water pumping and machine operation. The optimisation of interactions between water, soils, labour, carbon emissions and energy efficiency requires more research and on-farm evaluations. Standardisation of water-use efficiency measures and improved water measurement techniques for surface irrigation are important research outcomes to enable valid irrigation benchmarks to be established and compared. Water-use performance is highly variable between cotton farmers and farming fields and across regions. Therefore, site-specific measurement is important. The range in the presented datasets indicates potential for further improvement in water-use efficiency and productivity on Australian cotton farms.

灌溉方式对黄瓜结果期根系特征与产量的影响

采用小区试验研究了不同灌溉方式对津春4号黄瓜根系特性与产量的影响。结果表明,不同灌水方式之间黄瓜根系的特征值差异达到显著水平,前期交替沟灌结果期常规沟灌处理单株根条数、根长、根体积、根冠比均高于其余五种处理,根系伤流量为19.86 mg/min,根系活力高达0.55 mg/(g.h)。灌水方式对黄瓜单果重的影响不大,前期交替沟灌结果期常规沟灌处理的单株产量显著高于常规沟灌。因此,前期交替沟灌结果期常规沟灌有利于黄瓜根系的发育与产量的提高。

交替隔沟灌溉水分入渗特性

以玉米为试验材料 ,通过大田 3种灌水方式土壤水分的入渗规律比较分析 ,发现交替隔沟灌溉和固定隔沟灌溉土壤水分的侧向入渗比较明显 ,而常规灌溉由于受到相邻灌水沟侧向入渗的影响 ,土壤水分主要在土壤剖面的垂直方向变化。对 3种灌水方式湿润锋到达深度的研究表明 ,常规灌溉的湿润锋到达深度明显大于固定隔沟灌溉和交替隔沟灌溉。因此 ,田间采用交替隔沟灌溉可以减小土壤水分发生深层渗漏的机率

WATER NEEDS FOR WINTER BEAN CROP

Um estudo sobre o uso de água do feijoeiro de inverno (Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Carioca) foi realizado num solo Latossol Vermelho Amarelo de textura argilosa. Um sistema de sulcos de infiltração foi usado para proceder a irrigação com o intuito de manter o solo em potenciais de água superiores a -40,0 KPa. Duas doses de aplicação de N em cobertura (0 a 30 Kg N/ha) foram colocados 25 dias após o plantio. Os principais objetivos do estudo foram: avaliar a interação entre as duas doses de N com a evapotranspiração e medir os coeficientes de cultura (Kc). A evapotranspiração média máxima (ETm) foi 1,71 mm/dia, ou 157,16 mm nos 92 dias de observações; os valores de ETm para as fases vegetativa (1), florescimento (2) e formação de vagens (3) foram 1,48; 2,35 e 1,50 mm/dia, respectivamente, para a dose de 30 Kg/ha e 1,48, 1,88 e 1,45 mm/dia para o tratamento sem aplicação de N em cobertura. Os coeficientes de cultura (Kc = ETm/ETo) foram 0,62 e 0,78 para a fase 1, 0,80 e 1,10 para a 2, 0,45 e 0,55 para a 3 e 0,61 e 0,80 para o ciclo todo, respectivamente, baseados no método de FAO-Penman e do Tanque Classe A. Este mostrou melhores resultados para estimar o máximo uso de água pelo feijoeiro de inverno. Os tratamentos de N não afetaram a evapotranspiração significativamente. Entretanto, a evapotranspiração, medida pelo método do balanço de água, foi 59,78 e 27,12% maior no estágio do florescimento que no estádio vegetativo, respectivamente, nas doses de 30 e 0 Kg N/ha.

Situação da agricultura irrigada no Brasil de acordo com o censo agropecuário 2006

Knowledge about irrigated agricultural area and its geographical distribution are of great importance to water resources management. Evolution of irrigated area according to the irrigation method allows an identification of rational water technologies. The aim of this work was to analyze the information presented in the agricultural census of 1995/1996 and of 2006. Brazil has an area of 4.45 million cultivated hectares with irrigation. It is noticed that according to the 1995/1996 census, the irrigated area increased 1.3 million hectares, a growth of 42%. The Southeast region surpasses the South region which had, in 1995/96, the largest irrigated area. The Northeast region is the third irrigated agricultural area with 22.12 %, while the Central-west and the Northern region together sum 14.7%. According to the agricultural census 2006 classification, sprinkler irrigation (without center pivot) method is the most used,followed by flood, center pivot, other methods, drip and furrow, representing 35.3%, 24.4%, 18.9%, 8.3%, 7.4% and 5.8%, respectively.

Irrigacao por sulco com e sem utilizacao da agua de escoamento superficial.

Compararam-se dois sistemas de irrigacao por sulcos. Um deles constou da aplicacao de vazoes constantes, atraves de sifoes, para valores de R iguais a 0,26; 1 e 2. O outro constou de reutilizacao da agua escoada para valores de R iguaia a 0,5, 1 e 2. Observaram-se decrescimos nas perdas por percolacao, enquanto as eficiencias de aplicaca oe de distribuicao aumentaram, o mesmo acontecendo com as perdas por escoamento em ambos os sistemas de irrigacao, quando o valor de R aumentou. A eficiencia de irrigacao cresceu com o valor de R, quando se reutilizou a agua de escoamento, ocorrendo o inverso quando nao se reutilizou esta agua. Foram feitas determinacoes quanto a flutuacao da vazao de escoamento disponivel durante a irrigacao de cinco setores consecutivos, visando o dimensionamento de sistemas de irrigacao com reutilizacao desta agua.

Eficiencia de irrigacao em sulcos parcialmente fechados no final.

Compararam-se dois sistemas de irrigação por sulcos. Um deles constou da aplicação de vazes constantes, através de sifões para valores de R (relação entre o tempo de oportunidade no final do sulco e o tempo de avanço) iguais a 0,2;0,7 e 1,2. O outro constou da redução semi-automática da vazão inicial através de cânulas para R igual a 1,0. Em ambos os sistemas de irrigação, foram testadas duas modalidades de sulcos: sulcos abertos (SA), sistema tradicional, e sulcos parcialmente fechados no final (SPF), por meio de verterdores triangulares feitos de folhas de ferro. Constatou-se que o tempo de recessão no SPF é relativamente maior que no SA, em ambas as varões, e que o tempo de recessão no trecho final do sulco aumentou bruscamente com o acréscimo do valor de R, em vazão constante, enquanto para o SA a recessão apresentou-se como urna linha horizontal. As vazões médias de escoamento superficial em sulcos abertos mostraram-se bastante superiores às do sistema de sulcos parcialmente fechados, em ambas as vazões. As perdas por escoamento superficial no SPF, em vazão constante, em relação às perdas observadas no SA, foram reduzidas em 72,22%; 79,23% e 52,48%, para valores de R iguais a 0,2; 0,7 e 1,2, respectivamente. Enquanto em redução semi-automática da vazão inicial, estas perdas foram reduzidas em apenas 25,07%, para R igual a 1,0. O sistema de irrigação SPF proporcionou um aumento médio de 29,40% na eficiência de aplicação em relação ao SA em vazão constante.

Metodologia para adequacao de parametros do metodo de irrigacao por sulcos para uso pela assistencia tecnica.

Descreve-se uma metodologia de analise e representacao de dados de pesquisa sobre parametros do metodo de irrigacao por sulcos. Na coleta de ados usou-se um oxissolo (latossolo 37 AB) do Projeto de Irrigacao de Bebedouro. Fizeram-se determinacoes de densidade aparente, curvas de retencao de umidade, infiltracao ao nivel de 50% de agua disponivel, e testes de avanco de agua em sulcos com diferentes declividades e vazoes: 0,15% (2,5 - 3,1 - 4 - 5 litros/seg.), 0,24% (2 - 2,5 - 3 litros/seg.) e 0,37% (1 - 1,5 - 2,5 litros/seg.). A profundidade efetiva do sistema radicular das culturas e definida em funcao do ciclo fenologico. A vazao maxima nao-erosiva e mais eficiente foi definida a partir dos dados dos testes de avanco de agua nos sulcos, sendo que se as combinacoes mais eficientes de vazao-declividade foram: 2,5 litros/seg. -0,15%, 2 litros/seg. -0,24% e 1,5 litros/seg. -0,37%. Os dados foram analisados para responder a pergunta "quando irrigar", construindo-se nomogramas para menejo de irrigacao, visando seu uso rapido pela assistencia tecnica. Os nomogramas, usados em forma sequencial, permitem definir: profundidade efetiva das raizes em funcao do tempo apos o plantio, lamina de reposicao em funcao do nivel de agua disponivel e profundidade do sistema radicular, vazao mais eficiente em funcao da declividade dos sulcos, eficiencia de aplicacao em funcao do comprimento de sulcos e combinacao vazao-declividade, e tempo de irrigacao em funcao da lamina bruto e comprimento de sulcos. A metodologia pode ser extrapolada e deve ser aplicada em cada solo.

Irrigation performance and gross water productivity in furrow-irrigated ornamental tree production

In the ornamental plant production region of Girona (Spain), which is one of the largest of its kind in southern Europe, most of the surface is irrigated using wide blocked-end furrows. The objectives of this paper were: (1) to evaluate the irrigation scheduling methods used by ornamental plant producers; (2) to analyse different scenarios in order to assess how they affect irrigation performance; (3) to evaluate the risk of deep percolation; and (4) to calculate gross water productivity. A two-year study in a representative commercial field, planted with Prunus cerasifera ‘Nigra’, was carried out. The irrigation dose applied by the farmers was slightly smaller than the required water dose estimated by the use of two different methods: the first based on soil water content, and the second based on evapotranspiration. Distribution uniformity and application efficiency were high, with mean values above 87%. Soil water content measurements revealed that even at the end of the furrow, where the infiltrated water depth was greatest, more than 90% of the infiltrated water was retained in the shallowest 40 cm of the soil; accordingly, the risk of water loss due to deep percolation was minimal. Gross water productivity for ornamental tree production was € 11.70 m–3, approximately 20 times higher than that obtained with maize in the same region