scholarly journals Experimental Evaluation for the Impacts of Conservation Agriculture with Drip Irrigation on Crop Coefficient and Soil Properties in the Sub-Humid Ethiopian Highlands

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 947 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdu Y. Yimam ◽  
Tewodros T. Assefa ◽  
Nigus F. Adane ◽  
Seifu A. Tilahun ◽  
Manoj K. Jha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Crop Coefficient ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Ethiopian Highlands ◽  
Irrigation Water Use

A field experiment consists of conservation agriculture (CA) and conventional tillage (CT) practices were set up in two areas, Robit and Dangishta, in sub-humid Ethiopian highlands. Irrigation water use, soil moisture, and agronomic data were monitored, and laboratory testing was conducted for soil samples, which were collected from 0 to 40 cm depth before planting and after harvest during the study period of 2015–2017. Calculation of crop coefficient (Kc) revealed a significant decrease in Kc values under CA as compared to CT. The result depicted that CA with a drip irrigation system significantly (α = 0.05) reduced Kc values of crops as compared to CT. Specifically, 20% reductions were observed for onion, cabbage, and garlic under CA whereas 10% reductions were observed for pepper throughout the crop base period. Consequently, irrigation water measurement showed that about 18% to 28% of a significant irrigation water savings were observed for the range of vegetables under CA as compared to CT. On the other hand, the results of soil measurement showed the CA practice significantly (α = 0.05) increased soil moisture (4%, 7%, 8%, and 10% increment for onion, cabbage, garlic, pepper) than CT practice even if irrigation input was small in CA practice. In addition, CA was found to improve the soil physico-chemical properties with significant improvement on organic matter (10%), field capacity (4%), and total nitrogen (10%) in the Dangishta experimental site. CA with drip irrigation is evidenced to be an efficient water-saving technology while improving soil properties to support sustainable intensification in the region.

scholarly journals Experimental Evaluation of Conservation Agriculture with Drip Irrigation for Water Productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tewodros Assefa ◽  
Manoj Jha ◽  
Manuel Reyes ◽  
Seifu Tilahun ◽  
Abeyou Worqlul
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Drip Irrigation System ◽  
Irrigation Water Use

A field-scale experimental study was conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa (Ethiopia and Ghana) to examine the effects of conservation agriculture (CA) with drip irrigation system on water productivity in vegetable home gardens. CA here refers to minimum soil disturbance (no-till), year-round organic mulch cover, and diverse cropping in the rotation. A total of 28 farmers (13 farmers in Ethiopia and 15 farmers in Ghana) participated in this experiment. The experimental setup was a paired ‘t’ design on a 100 m2 plot; where half of the plot was assigned to CA and the other half to conventional tillage (CT), both under drip irrigation system. Irrigation water use and crop yield were monitored for three seasons in Ethiopia and one season in Ghana for vegetable production including garlic, onion, cabbage, tomato, and sweet potato. Irrigation water use was substantially lower under CA, 18% to 45.6%, with a substantial increase in crop yields, 9% to about two-fold, when compared with CT practice for the various vegetables. Crop yields and irrigation water uses were combined into one metric, water productivity, for the statistical analysis on the effect of CA with drip irrigation system. One-tailed paired ‘t’ test statistical analysis was used to examine if the mean water productivity in CA is higher than that of CT. Water productivity was found to be significantly improved (α = 0.05) under the CA practice; 100%, 120%, 222%, 33%, and 49% for garlic, onion, tomato, cabbage, and sweet potato respectively. This could be due to the improvement of soil quality and structure due to CA practice, adding nutrients to the soil and sticking soil particles together (increase soil aggregates). Irrigation water productivity for tomato under CA (5.17 kg m−3 in CA as compared to 1.61 kg m−3 in CT) is found to be highest when compared to water productivity for the other vegetables. The mulch cover provided protection for the tomatoes from direct contact with the soil and minimized the chances of soil-borne diseases. Adapting to CA practices with drip irrigation in vegetable home gardens is, therefore, a feasible strategy to improve water use efficiency, and to intensify crop yield, which directly contributes towards the sustainability of livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the region.

scholarly journals Conservation Agriculture Saves Irrigation Water in the Dry Monsoon Phase in the Ethiopian Highlands

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sisay A. Belay ◽  
Petra Schmitter ◽  
Abeyou W. Worqlul ◽  
Tammo S. Steenhuis ◽  
Manuel R. Reyes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Conventional Tillage ◽  
Irrigation Scheduling ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Ethiopian Highlands ◽  
Irrigation Water Use ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Yield Responses ◽  
Irrigation Practices

Water resources in sub-Saharan Africa are more overstressed than in many other regions of the world. Experiments on commercial farms have shown that conservation agriculture (CA) can save water and improve the soil. Nevertheless, its benefits on smallholder irrigated farms have not been adequately investigated, particularly in dry monsoon phase in the Ethiopian highlands. We investigated the effect of conservation agriculture (grass mulch cover and no-tillage) on water-saving on smallholder farms in the Ethiopian highlands. Irrigated onion and garlic were grown on local farms. Two main factors were considered: the first factor was conservation agriculture versus conventional tillage, and the second factor was irrigation scheduling using reference evapotranspiration (ETo) versus irrigation scheduling managed by farmers. Results showed that for both onion and garlic, the yield and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) was over 40% greater for CA than conventional tillage (CT). The soil moisture after irrigation was higher in CA compared with CT treatment while CA used 49 mm less irrigation water. In addition, we found that ETo-based irrigation was superior to the farmers’ irrigation practices for both crops. IWUE was lower in farmers irrigation practices due to lower onion and garlic yield responses to overirrigation and greater water application variability.

Assessment of smart irrigation controllers under subsurface and drip-irrigation systems for tomato yield in arid regions

2015 ◽  
Vol 66 (10) ◽  
pp. 1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. M. Al-Ghobari ◽  
F. S. Mohammad ◽  
M. S. A. El Marazky
Keyword(s):  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Irrigation Scheduling ◽  
Irrigation Systems ◽  
Tomato Crop ◽  
Tomato Yield ◽  
Irrigation Water Use ◽  
Scheduling Irrigation ◽  
Use Efficiency

Here, two types of smart irrigation controllers intended to reduce irrigation water are investigated under Saudi Arabia’s present water crisis scenario. These controllers are specially made for scheduling irrigation and management of landscaping. Consequently, the aim of this study is to adapt the efficient automated controllers to tomato crops, and for extension to other similar agricultural crops. The controllers are based on evapotranspiration and have been shown to be promising tools for scheduling irrigation and quantifying the water required by plants to achieve water savings. In particular, the study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of these technologies (SmartLine SL 1600and Hunter Pro-C) in terms of the amount of irrigation applied and compare them with conventional irrigation scheduling methods. The smart irrigation systems were implemented and tested under drip irrigation and subsurface irrigation for tomato (cv. Nema) in an arid region. The results revealed significant differences between the three irrigation-scheduling methods in both the amount of applied water and yield. For example, each 1 mm water depth applied to the tomato crop via subsurface (or drip) irrigation by SmartLine, Hunter Pro-C, and the control system yielded 129.70 kg (70.33 kg), 161.50 kg (93.47 kg), and 109.78 kg (108.32 kg), respectively. Generally, the data analysis indicates that the Hunter Pro-C system saves water and produces a higher yield with the greatest irrigation water-use efficiency (IWUE) of the irrigation scheduling methods considered. Moreover, the results indicate that the subsurface irrigation system produced a higher yield and IWUE than the drip system.

scholarly journals Transitional Effects of Double-lateral Drip Irrigation and Straw Mulch on Irrigation Water Consumption, Mineral Nutrition, Yield, and Storability of Sweet Cherry

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 484-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinhua Yin ◽  
Lynn E. Long ◽  
Xiao-Lan Huang ◽  
Ngowari Jaja ◽  
Jinhe Bai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Water Consumption ◽  
Mineral Nutrition ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Sweet Cherry ◽  
Prunus Avium ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Straw Mulch ◽  
Irrigation Water Use

A field trial was conducted on a Cherryhill silt loam soil at The Dalles, OR, from 2006 to 2008. The impacts of switching from the traditional micro sprinkler irrigation (MS) to double-lateral drip irrigation (DD) and from no groundcover with herbicide control of weeds (NC) to in-row wheat (Triticum aestivum) straw mulching (ST) were evaluated in a split-plot design with four replicates. Irrigation water use, mineral nutrition, and productivity of ‘Lapins’ sweet cherry (Prunus avium) on ‘Mazzard’ rootstock (P. avium) and soil quality were measured on a plot basis. DD reduced irrigation water consumption by 47.6% to 58.2% compared with MS. Straw mulch lowered irrigation water use by 9.7% relative to NC. Total fruit yield and fruit quality of firmness, size, and sugar at harvest were similar for the irrigation treatments. Straw mulch increased fruit size by 0.6 mm on average relative to NC, which could result in increased grower profitability. The DD system enhanced percentage of marketable fruit by 8.6% relative to MS. Leaf phosphorus (P), boron (B), zinc (Zn), and iron (Fe) concentrations were reduced with DD over MS; consequently, more P, B, Zn, and Fe fertilizers might be needed under DD. Straw mulch markedly decreased the populations of flagellates and amoebae but slightly increased the population of ciliates. Straw mulch resulted in a soil microbial community with remarkably less protozoa. Overall, DD is a viable alternate irrigation system for producing sweet cherry orchards with limited water resources for irrigation. Switching from NC to ST could lower irrigation water use, reduce herbicide runoff, and protect soil from erosion.

scholarly journals Reduced Water Use in Barley and Maize Production Through Conservation Agriculture and Drip Irrigation

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Fonteyne ◽  
Álvaro Flores García ◽  
Nele Verhulst
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Conservation Agriculture ◽  
Water Saving ◽  
Furrow Irrigation ◽  
Conventional Agriculture ◽  
Maize Production ◽  
Irrigation Water Use

The Mexican Bajío region is the country's main barley (Hordeum vulgare) producing area. Barley is commonly produced during the dry autumn–winter season using furrow irrigation with ground water, following which rainfed maize (Zea mays) is grown in the spring–summer season using supplementary irrigation. Ground water levels in the region are steadily dropping, and the introduction of water-saving technologies in agriculture is urgently required. Drip irrigation can reduce water use but is costly. Conservation agriculture—the combination of minimal tillage, permanent soil cover and crop diversification—might reduce water use, but studies in irrigated systems are scarce. We compared water use and grain yield in tillage-based conventional agriculture and conservation agriculture, both with furrow irrigation and drip irrigation, in a 3-year (six growing seasons) barley-maize field experiment. Additionally, side-by-side demonstrations of conventional and conservation agriculture were installed simultaneously in farmers' fields and yields, water use and fuel use were recorded. In the field experiment, yields did not differ significantly between production systems, but irrigation water use was on average 17% lower in conservation agriculture than in conventional agriculture, ~36% lower with drip irrigation compared with furrow irrigation in conventional tillage, and 40% lower with drip irrigation and conservation agriculture combined compared with conventional agriculture with furrow irrigation. Water use reductions differed strongly between years, depending on weather. The water saving through conservation agriculture in farmers' fields was similar to the water saving in the controlled experiment with about 17%. Additionally, in farmer's fields conservation agriculture reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 192 kg CO2 ha−1 and improved soil health. The implementation of conservation agriculture would be a cost-effective method to reduce water use in the barley-maize production system in the Mexican Bajío, while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Development and Evaluation of a Variable-Rate Irrigation Management Method in the Mississippi Delta

2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 287-298
Author(s):  
Ruixiu Sui ◽  
Jonnie Baggard
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water ◽  
Mississippi Delta ◽  
Water Productivity ◽  
Variable Rate ◽  
Irrigation Water Use ◽  
Irrigation Water Productivity ◽  
Variable Rate Irrigation

HighlightsWe developed and evaluated a variable-rate irrigation (VRI) management method for five crop years in the Mississippi Delta.VRI management significantly reduced irrigation water use in comparison with uniform-rate irrigation (URI). There was no significant difference in grain yield and irrigation water productivity between VRI and URI management.Soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) was used to delineate irrigation management zones and generate VRI prescriptions.Sensor-measured soil water content was used in irrigation scheduling.Abstract. Variable-rate irrigation (VRI) allows producers to site-specifically apply irrigation water at variable rates within a field to account for the temporal and spatial variability in soil and plant characteristics. Developing practical VRI methods and documenting the benefits of VRI application are critical to accelerate the adoption of VRI technologies. Using apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) and soil moisture sensors, a VRI method was developed and evaluated with corn and soybean for five crop years in the Mississippi Delta. Soil ECa of the study fields was mapped and used to delineate VRI management zones and create VRI prescriptions. Irrigation was scheduled using soil volumetric water content measured by soil moisture sensors. A center pivot VRI system was employed to deliver irrigation water according to the VRI prescription. Grain yield, irrigation water use, and irrigation water productivity in the VRI treatment were determined and compared with that in a uniform-rate irrigation (URI) treatment. Results showed that the grain yield and irrigation water productivity between the VRI and URI treatments were not statistically different with both corn and soybean crops. The VRI management significantly reduced the amount of irrigation water by 22% in corn and by 11% in soybean (p = 0.05). Adoption of VRI management could improve irrigation water use efficiency in the Mississippi Delta. Keywords: Soil electrical conductivity, Soil moisture sensor, Variable rate irrigation, Water management.

scholarly journals PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF HYDRAULIC PARAMETERS OF A DEVELOPED DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olorunwa Eric Omofunmi ◽  
Oluwaseun Ayodele Ilesanmi ◽  
Toluwalase Orisabinone
Keyword(s):  
Drip Irrigation ◽  
Irrigation System ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Application Rate ◽  
Drip Irrigation System ◽  
Flow Variation ◽  
Agricultural Engineering ◽  
Normal Soil ◽  
Coefficient Of Uniformity ◽  
American Society

Experiment was carried out in the department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, during the period of August to October, 2017. The hydraulic performance of a developed drip irrigation system was assessed. The experimental work was conducted on field with irrigated field area of 7 m x 3 m and lateral spacing was 0.35 m. Sixty (60) hospital drip sets (given sets) were used for the experiment as improved emitters. Volumetric method was used to determine application rate (PR) and emitters discharge. The emission uniformity, emitter flow variation, co-efficient of uniformity and co-efficient of variation were determined accordance with the equations described by the American Society of Agricultural Engineering (ASAE). Soil chemical properties were determined accordance with the American Public Health Association (APHA). The findings revealed that the soil in the area is classified as sand clay loam and normal soil. Results indicated that the mean and standard deviation of the emitters were 9.639 L/hr and 0.07 L/hr respectively. There were no emitters clogging. The emitter flow variation was 2.5 % and less than 10 % which was desirable range, while coefficient of variation was 0.07 and less than 0.11 which was marginal. The application rate was 17 mm hr-1 which was within the recommended range of 15 – 25 mm hr-1. The emission uniformity and coefficient of uniformity were 99.4% and 99.2% respectively, which shows that the system was well-designed. This finding indicated that hospital drip sets proved to the high quality. Therefore, it can be used as standard emitter.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document