Response of two-row malting spring barley to water cutoff under sprinkler irrigation

Agricultural production in irrigated areas is becoming more water-constrained. Scheduling the timing of the last irrigation on cereals is one effective method of reducing seasonal water use while maintaining crop yield and quality. The last irrigation application time and its impact on two-row malting barley (Hordeum distichum cv. Moravian 37) yield, quality, and economic benefits were studied in the 2000, 2001, and 2002 cropping seasons. Irrigation was stopped for the season at Milk, pre-Soft Dough, Soft Dough, and post-Soft Dough grain formation stages. The Soft Dough water cutoff treatment produced the highest grain yield of two-row spring malting barley. Water cutoff before or after Soft Dough stage reduced the grain yield significantly at P < 0.05, but the quality of grain for malt production was not significantly different when water was cut off at pre-Soft Dough or post-Soft Dough stages. Irrigation cutoff at Milk stage produced the lowest grain yield with the lowest quality. Decreases in grain yield and quality with the last irrigation at post-Soft Dough reduced grain value by $174 ha⁻¹ relative to Soft Dough, while irrigation costs were higher (Fig. 6). The economic benefit due to labor and power cost reduction from earlier irrigation cutoff does not offset the resulting loss of grain value/ha for any treatment except post-SD under current southern Idaho energy and labor cost conditions.     

Growth of lucerne (Medicago sativa,L.) in response to frequency of irrigation and gypsum application on a heavy clay soil

Summary Effects of weekly (W) and fortnightly (F) irrigation schedules on established stands of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) grown on gypsum treated (G) and untreated (C) heavy clay soil were investigated. Two irrigations were applied under the fortnightly regime and four under the weekly schedule during a single cutting cycle. Growth and light interception were measured during both the vegetative and mature phases of growth.Leaf expansion, light interception and dry matter production were greater under treatments W _G and W _C, with yield increasing from 3.4 t ha^–1 under the fortnightly schedule to 5.0 t ha-1 with weekly irrigation. Gypsum treatment was effective under the more frequent irrigation schedule. Specific leaf area and the proportion of stem were both increased by treatments W _G and W _C. The responses to irrigation were therefore characteristic of those elicited by a more favourable plant moisture status. Growth was analysed in terms of light interception, the efficiency of utilisation of intercepted light, the proportion of the daily dry matter gain retained by the leaves and leaf expansion. The analysis demonstrated that impaired leaf expansion contributed to a decline of approximately 15% in yield, and that impaired efficiencies of utilisation of intercepted light contributed to losses of approximately 30% under the less frequent irrigation schedule.A comparison of growth rates and efficiencies of energy conversion with published data showed that satisfactory rates of growth and levels of productivity were achieved on the heavy soils of the local region using gypsum treatment and the more frequent irrigation schedule.     

不同斥水程度黏壤土一维入渗特性试验研究

采用人工配置的5种斥水程度等级的黏壤土,通过室内一维积水入渗试验,探究了斥水程度对黏壤土湿润锋运移、累积入渗量、入渗率、土壤剖面含水率以及水分再分布的影响,分析了不同斥水程度土壤入渗条件下入渗模型的适用性.结果表明:随着斥水程度增大,土壤入渗率变慢,湿润锋运移相同距离所需要的时间显著增加,其中运移到40 cm时,强斥水土壤比亲水土壤的运移时间增加了63%;随着斥水程度增大,累积入渗量减小,入渗结束时强斥水土壤比亲水土壤的累积入渗量减小了27%;土壤的入渗率也随着斥水程度增大而逐渐减小,强斥水土壤的稳定入渗率为亲水土壤的37%;随着斥水程度增大,土壤剖面含水率减小,且经过相同时间的水分再分布,土壤剖面含水率的变化量也随之减小;幂函数可以很好地模拟湿润锋运移距离和累积入渗量随时间的变化过程;对弱斥水土壤而言,Philip模型和Kostiakov模型对入渗率与时间的关系有较高的拟合度,而强斥水土壤则Kostiakov模型更为适用.研究可为斥水土壤的入渗提供理论基础.     

Nitrogen leaching during sprinkler irrigation of a Dutch clay soil

Short-circuiting, which is vertical movement of free water through large continuous pores in an unsaturated soil matrix, was measured in the field in large columns from a cracked Dutch clay soil. The columns had been fertilized with chemical nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of 80 kg N ha^?1. Sprinkler irrigation (with an average intensity of 18 mm h^?1 and applied quantities varying from 8 mm to 22 mm) resulted in strong nitrogen leaching from the columns. Losses, which averaged 30%, resulted from mass-flow due to short-circuiting. Redox measurements suggested that no denitrification occurred. Application of only 6 mm of water slightly reduced nitrogen losses to approximately 15%. Losses could be reduced to 8% by applying the fertilizer to a wet soil surface which had just been sprinkled, and by sprinkling again the next day. In that way, the fertilizer grains dissolve and nitrogen diffuses into the surface soil, allowing less nitrogen movement along the soil surface towards the vertical cracks during the next sprinkling.     

初始含水率对斥水黏壤土入渗特性的影响

为了探究初始含水率对斥水土壤入渗过程的影响规律,通过室内二维土箱的滴灌模拟试验,设置6个初始含水率水平(4.78%,7.28%,9.97%,13.64%,16.07%,19.02%),研究了初始含水率对湿润锋运移距离、宽深比、累积入渗量、入渗速率和土壤水分分布的影响,并评价了不同入渗模型的适用性.结果表明:随着初始含水率的提高,湿润锋运移相同深度所需时间呈逐渐减小趋势,两者较好满足幂函数关系,湿润锋宽深比逐渐减小;累积入渗量变化趋势为先减小后增大;入渗速率整体趋势为逐渐减小,其中斥水程度峰值含水率附近的处理出现入渗速率短暂提高的现象;Kostiakov模型能够较好反映斥水黏壤土的入渗规律,且斥水程度越大,模型拟合精度越低;随着斥水程度增加,土壤水分逐渐向湿润体垂向中间区域集中,并出现过度饱和现象.该研究可为斥水土壤的入渗理论奠定一定的基础.     

Response of Salustiana oranges to high frequency deficit irrigation

Summary Mature Salustiana orange trees under drip irrigation were subjected to deficit irrigation during three years. The water applied (including effective rainfall) in the five irrigation treatments was: (A) 60% of the evaporation of a Class A pan over irrigated grass (Control treatment); B) and C 80% and 60% of control, during the whole year, respectively; (D) 60% of control during the flowering and fruit set period; (E) 60% of control during the fruit maturation period. During the rest of the year, treatments D and E received the same amount of water as the control. There were four replicates in a completely randomized block design. Irrigation frequency was the same for all treatments. Crop evapotranspiration (ET) was estimated by the water balance method using a neutron moisture meter. ET for the control treatment was about 840 mm/year and it was reduced in the deficit treatments. Irrigation treatments affected both yield and fruit quality although the effects varied between years according to the season's rainfall. Fruit number was not affected by the irrigation treatments, therefore differences in yield were due to effect on average fruit weight. Compared to the control treatment, treatments B and C decreased yield significantly (p = 0.05) by 5% and 15%, respectively, and increased the total soluble solids and acids content of the fruit juice. Water deficit in the flowering and fruit set period (treatment D) decreased yield by 4%, acids content of the juice and peel thickness. Treatment E produced fruit of lower quality with thicker peel and more acids than the control. Treatments did not affect juice and pulp content, maturity index of fruits nor maturation time. The effects of the irrigation treatments on the water status of the trees, fruit set and abscission and their implications on irrigation scheduling are also discussed.     

Response of cotton to different soil water deficits on clay soils

Summary Cotton was grown under sprinkler irrigation on a silty clay soil at Keiser, Arkansas, for the 1987, 1988 and 1989 growing seasons. Irrigation treatments consisted of maximum soil water deficits (SWD) of 25, 50 and 75 mm and a nonirrigated control. While the irrigated treatments were significantly different from the control for plant height and total seedcotton yield, significant differences among the three irrigated treatments were only observed for plant height. Yields were significantly lower in 1989 than in the other two years of the study, due in part to later planting. The 3-year averages for total seedcotton yield were 3280 and 2870 kg ha^–1 for irrigated and nonirrigated, respectively, for an average increase corresponding to irrigation of 416 kg ha^–1 or 14.5% of the nonirrigated yield. The maximum increase was observed in 1988 as 602 kg ha^–1 or 20.6% of the nonirrigated yield for that year. The 75 mm allowable SWD was the most efficient treatment and resulted in a 3-year average of 3.85 kg ha^–1 additional seedcotton (above the nonirrigated) harvested for each 1 mm of irrigation applied. Maintaining the SWD below a 75 mm maximum required an average of four irrigations and 110 mm of irrigation water per year.     

Response of tall fescue to irrigation water salinity,leaching fraction,and irrigation frequency

A long-term study in the rhizotron at the U.S. Salinity Laboratory established the yield and evapotranspiration of tall fescue as a function of irrigation water salinity, leaching fraction, and irrigation frequency. As the salt concentration of the irrigation water increased or leaching fraction decreased, dry matter production was reduced significantly. Differences in production because of irrigation frequency, however, were insignificant. With low stress (high leaching, L = 0.27, and low salinity water, S = 1 dS/m) annual dry matter yields were 2.0 kg/m², compared to annual yields of 1.4 kg/m² with high stress (low leaching, L = 0.09, and high salinity water, S = 4 dS/m).Annual evapotranspiration dropped from 1860 mm for low stress treatments to 1170 mm for high stress. Soil evaporation was negligible for the mature grass stand. In concurrence with several models, relative dry matter production was proportional to relative water use.The salt tolerance of treatments dominated by osmotic potential was in agreement with that published for tall fescue. As matric potential decreased among treatments yields fell significantly below that predicted by the salt tolerance model.     

Assessment of drip and flood irrigation on water and fertilizer use efficiencies for sugarbeets

Mismanagement of nitrogenous fertilizers has caused serious nitrate (NO₃) contamination in many flood-irrigated regions of the western US. Low-volume irrigation practices, such as drip irrigation, can offer an alternative approach for controlling NO₃ leaching and agricultural water use. The objectives of this study were to compare NO₃ movement through soils under flood and drip irrigation practices for sugarbeet production, and to evaluate the agronomic feasibility of implementing drip irrigation. A field experiment was conducted during the sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L.) growing seasons of 1996 and 1997 in southeastern Wyoming, where NO₃ contamination is a continued concern and sugarbeet is a major cash crop. Three drip irrigation regimes, corresponding to 20, 35, and 50% water depletion of field capacity (designated as D1, D2, and D3, respectively), were compared against flood irrigation. The irrigation plots were treated with 112, 168, and 224 kg N ha⁻¹ (designated as F₀, F₁, and F₂, respectively). Sugarbeet (SB) yields and sugar contents under drip irrigation were higher (3–28%) than those with flood irrigation; yields and sugar contents for the drip systems were in the order of D1>D2>D3. For all of the irrigation applications, there was an increasing trend in yields with increasing fertilizer rates. Drip regime resulted in greater residual soil NO₃ (RSN) for both 1996 and 1997 seasons as compared to flood practices. Values of RSN in both years followed the trend: F₂>F₁>F₀. Soil NO₃ in all three drip regimes was higher (1.6–2.4 times) than that with flood irrigation. In the overall root zone, NO₃ concentrations between D1 and D2 were comparable, whereas both of those levels were lower than D3. Greater NO₃ concentrations with D3 were observed at all depths. The amount of applied irrigation water with the drip system was lower than that for flood irrigation. Agronomic water use efficiency (WUE) and fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) for drip irrigation were always higher than those for flood irrigation. In 1996, WUE and FUE maintained an order of D1>D2>D3. There was a decreasing pattern in FUE values with increasing fertilizer rates. The overall results indicated that SB production could be sustained with lower water and fertilizer use by using drip irrigation. The p-values (≤0.05), based on both F-test (p_f) and two-tailed student’s t-test (p_t), suggested a significant difference between the yield means obtained under drip and flood irrigation practices. As compared to the flood irrigation, the least p-values were obtained with D1 followed by D2 and D3, respectively, thus, confirming that D1 was the most effective treatment. The p-values for SB yields under comparative fertilizer treatments and same drip application showed no significant difference between the means, thus, suggesting the feasibility of using lower fertilizer rate while sustaining the targeted yield under drip irrigation. The comparative estimation of water losses by drainage between flood and drip irrigation suggested that the later practice reduced the quantity of water leaching beyond the root zone. Among the three drip treatments, the lowest drainage amount was observed with D1 as a result of its higher irrigation frequency and smaller quantity of water input during each application.     

Effect of tillage and water table control on evapotranspiration,surface runoff,tile drainage and soil water content under maize on a clay loam soil

Two tillage and two water table control treatments under continuous maize cropping were evaluated over a 3-year period (1992–1994) for their effects on evapotranspiration, surface runoff (SR), tile drainage (TD) and soil water content in the root-zone on a clay loam soil in southern Ontario. The tillage treatments included soil saver (SS, reduced tillage) and moldboard plow (MP, conventional tillage). The water table control treatments included controlled drainage-subirrigation (CDS) and regular tile drainage (DR). There was no significant difference (P<0.05) in evapotranspiration estimates between the SS and MP tillage treatments. The SS tillage increased SR compared with MP tillage during the non-cropping periods in 1993 and 1994, but not in 1992. Relative to MP, the SS tillage increased soil profile water content during the cropping period but decreased soil profile water content during the non-cropping period in 1992. The CDS treatment produced significantly higher (P<0.05) evapotranspiration and soil water content than the drainage treatment during the dry 1993 and 1994 years, but not during the wet 1992 year. The CDS treatment also had significantly lower (P<0.05) TD and higher SR than the drainage treatment. For all the treatments, over 65% of SR and TD occurred in the 5 month non-cropping period from November to March. Of the total annual water input (precipitation and/or subirrigation) to the field site, 8% was partitioned to SR, 30% was partitioned to TD, 55% was removed by crop and soil evapotranspiration and 7% was accounted for by changes in soil profile water content.     

Irrigation of seed carrots on a sandy loam soil

Summary Little research has been reported which quantifies the response of a carrot (Daucus carrota L. var sativa DC.) seed crop to water management. While the area of seed production of this crop in the United States is less than 3000ha, the return ranges from US $2000 to $ 10 000 ha^–1. Because of the need to mature and dry the seed on the plant, carrot seed is generally grown in areas with negligible summer rain and thus depends on irrigation to supply the crop water requirement. A study was conducted to determine the effect of irrigation water management on seed production and crop water use of carrots grown by the root-to-seed method. Two carrot types (Nantes and Imperator) were evaluated in 9 irrigation treatments over a three year study period. Irrigation treatments which replaced a percentage of the calculated crop evapotranspiration on either a daily basis or when a soil water depletion reached 30 mm were used. A trickle irrigation system with the laterals placed on the carrot bed was used to apply a uniform and accurate amount of water. There was a marked difference in the crop response to the water management of the two carrot types used. The Nantes type exhibited a positive response to moderate water deficits in terms of improved pure live seed (PLS) yield while the Imperator achieved its maximum yield when it was not stressed. Higher irrigation applications in the Nantes type resulted in reduced yields while the Imperator was not affected after its non-stress water requirement was met. Soil water data indicated that the most active zone of extraction of water was to a depth of 1.5 m in the soil profile. As the depth of applied water approached the crop water requirement, the depth of extraction was reduced. Increasing the frequency of irrigation also tended to reduce the depth of extraction of soil water. A total crop water use of approximately 550 to 620 mm was needed to achieve the best PLS yield which is roughly equal to potential evapotranspiration in the San Joaquin Valley, during the time that the crop water use was calculated. In such a climate, the irrigation interval should not exceed 3 to 5 days depending on the time of year.     

Estimations of permissible irrigation rates from soil properties in high frequency irrigation

The effect of irrigation dynamics and soil physical properties on the permissible rate of application was analyzed using the analytic solution of Richard’s equation for periodic flux type boundary conditions typical to high frequency irrigation. Dynamics of irrigation regime was defined by its instantaneous application rate, R ₀, its frequency, and the duty cycle which is the ratio of irrigation duration and irrigation interval (period). Soil properties were saturation, hydraulic conductivity, diffusivity, and Gardner’s soil type coefficient. Fourier Transform was used to derive a closed form analytical expression for the maximal permissible value of R ₀, which would not result in water logging and saturation at soil surface. The analytical expression ties the three irrigation parameters with the above three soil parameters together. Prevention of aeration stress by restricting the moisture content at the soil surface, to become less than the minimal air pore volume (drainable porosity), was also used as an upper constraint of moisture at the surface soil. The effect of irrigation frequency and duty cycle on the permissible R ₀ values was analyzed and computed regarding three soil types: coarse sand, sand, and sandy loam. Under short duration periods of water application resulting from either small values of duty cycle or short irrigation periods (high frequency), or both, the soil surface would not become saturated even for very high R ₀ values. The maximal application depth V _max, depends on both the duty cycle and the frequency. For a given soil, V _max remains essentially constant per irrigation periods of 1 h or less, typical to pulsed irrigation and independent of the duty cycle. For periods longer than 1 day for coarse soils, V _max increases with the duty cycle while for sandy loam soils, the increase in V _max becomes insignificant for duty cycles larger than 0.3. The computed values of maximal R ₀ and V _max based on the water logging concept are much higher than the ones used in irrigation design and should be considered as upper permissible limits only. The permissible values of R ₀ and V _max are much lower if the aeration stress concept is adopted and found in the range used in practice. This analysis may be useful for the design of precision irrigation for high frequency microdrip, high frequency trickle irrigation, as well as for trunk diameter measurement (TDM) irrigation methods.     

Measured and simulated soil wetting patterns under porous clay pipe sub-surface irrigation

Sub-surface irrigation with porous clay pipe can be an efficient, water saving method of irrigation for many less developed arid and semi-arid regions. Maximizing the efficiency of clay pipe irrigation requires guidelines and criteria for system design and operation. In this study, experimental and simulated (with HYDRUS (2D/3D)) soil wetting patterns were investigated for sub-surface pipe systems operating at different water pressures. Predictions of the soil water content made with HYDRUS were found to be in good agreement (R² = 0.98) with the observed data. Additional simulations with HYDRUS were used to study the effects of various design parameters on soil wetting. Increasing the system pressure increased the size of the wetted zone. The installation depth affects the recommended lateral spacing as well as the amount of evaporative water loss. For a given water application, the potential rate of surface evaporation affected the shape of the wetted region only minimally. Soil texture, due to its connection to soil hydraulic conductivity and water retention, has a larger impact on the wetting geometry. In general, greater horizontal spreading occurs in fine texture soils, or in the case of layered soils, in the finer textured layers.     

Effects of frequency of irrigation and gypsum treatment on leaf water potential and leaf stomatal conductance of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) grown on a heavy clay soil

Summary Concurrent diurnal measurements of water potential, osmotic potential and conductance were made on leaves of lucerne grown under weekly (W) and fortnightly (F) irrigation on gypsum-treated (G) and untreated soil (C). Measurements were made throughout the period of vegetative growth.Leaf water potentials were lower both at dawn and in the afternoon under fortnightly as compared to weekly irrigation. Gypsum application led to a slower decline in water potential under fortnightly irrigation, although the effect was small compared with more frequent irrigation. Stomatal conductance was reduced under treatments F_G and F_C during the later stages of vegetative growth, coinciding with leaf water potentials of less than c. –1.6 MPa.The relationship between leaf water potential and turgor potential changed with time such that positive turgor was maintained as leaf water potential declined. Turgor maintenance was achieved through a decrease in leaf osmotic potential. These data suggest that lucerne is capable of osmotic adjustment.Stomatal conductance declined rapidly below a leaf turgor potential of c. 0.1 MPa. It is hypothesised that osmotic adjustment enabled stomatal adjustment, which contributed to continued assimilation despite increasing soil moisture deficits.     

Effects of stage of growth,irrigation frequency and gypsum treatment on CO2 exchange of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) grown on a heavy clay soil

Summary Effects of weekly (W) and fortnightly (F) irrigation schedules on CO₂ assimilation by lucerne grown on untreated (C) and gypsum-ameliorated (G) heavy clay soil were investigated. Leaf area limited rates of assimilation during the initial stages of regrowth, but rates of up to 9 g CO₂ m^–2 h^–1 were measured once full ground cover was achieved after approximately two weeks. High rates were maintained until the fifth week of regrowth (one week after full flower), after which there was a marked decline.During the fourth week of regrowth, afternoon rates of canopy photosynthesis under less frequent irrigation were less than those measured at similar irradiance during the morning. This was evidenced as hysteresis in the light response curves and was apparent in all treatment during the final stages of the experiment.For the first five weeks of regrowth, daytime integrals of photosynthesis were directly related to the amount of light intercepted by the crops. The mean efficiency of utilisation of light in CO₂ assimilation was 6.2 g CO₂ MJ^–1 in all treatments apart from that on untreated soil under the fortnightly irrigation regime (treatment F_C). Its mean efficiency was 5.1 g CO₂ MJ^–1. The amounts of CO₂ assimilated exceeded the growth and respiratory requirements of the above-ground components of the crops, and it was estimated that 25% and 40% of the assimilated carbon was partitioned to and retained in the roots and crowns of the weekly and fortnightly irrigated crops, respectively.Results are appraised in terms of the response of lucerne to moisture deficits. Implications for above-ground dry matter production are also discussed.     

Effect of soil texture on the emission characteristics of porous clay pipe for subsurface irrigation

Laboratory and numerical experiments were carried out to analyze the effect of soil texture on the emission characteristics of porous clay pipe used for subsurface irrigation. Results show that the emission rate of the pipe is linearly related to the applied hydraulic head in the open environment. With the pipe embedded in the soil, the emission rate becomes a function of the soil texture and the applied hydraulic head. For a given soil texture, as the applied hydraulic head in the pipe increases, the moisture content in the vicinity of the pipe becomes higher, and the effect of the capillary forces on the emission rate of the pipe decreases. Under saturated conditions in the vicinity of the pipe, the effect of capillary forces in the flow domain on the emission rate of the pipe is negligible. The study results are useful in designing the lateral spacing and installation depth of the pipelines, irrigation run time and length, and the hydraulic head required for proper operation of porous clay pipe based subsurface irrigation systems.     

土壤酶活性对微咸水与再生水混合滴灌的响应与评估

为了探讨淡水资源不足地区微咸水与再生水的合理利用方式,通过盆栽试验,以当地地下水灌溉为对照(CK),研究了3种不同比例微咸水与再生水混合灌溉(再生水灌溉T1,5 g/L微咸水与再生水等量混合灌溉T2,5 g/L微咸水灌溉T3)对土壤水盐、水溶性离子离子以及土壤酶活性的影响,并利用第2代生物综合响应(IBRv2)指数法评估土壤酶活性对微咸水与再生水混合灌溉效应的响应.结果表明,(1)随着微咸水与再生水混合液中微咸水占比提升,土壤含水率和含盐量越高.(2)微咸水-再生水混合灌溉处理对土壤酶活性的影响不同,土壤碱性磷酸酶和脲酶活性较微咸水和再生水灌溉处理均有所提升,土壤蔗糖酶活性较再生水灌溉略低,但却高于微咸水灌溉.(3)基于IBRv2指数法,与CK相比较,处理T1引起的酶活性偏差最低,IBRv2值为2.12;处理T2次之,值为2.42;处理T3最高,值为2.92.处理T3中S-AKP/ALP,S-SC,S-UE活性均受到抑制;处理T2对S-AKP/ALP,S-UE活性具有诱导作用,但对S-SC略有抑制;处理T1对S-AKP/ALP,S-SC活性具有诱导作用,但对S-UE活性具有一定的抑制.因此,基于IBRv2,并综合考虑土壤酶活性指标以及再生水资源量量大、日排放量小等自身局限性,在干旱缺水地区,可以考虑用再生水与微咸水配合使用.     

Optimal coupling combinations between irrigation frequency and rate for drip-irrigated maize grown on sandy soil

This study was conducted over 2 years (2007 and 2008) to establish the optimal combinations between irrigation frequency and rate for drip-irrigated maize using water production functions and water use-yield relationships. A field experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block split plot design with four irrigation frequencies (F₁, F₂, F₃ and F₄, irrigation events once every 1, 2, 3 or 4 days, respectively) and three drip irrigation rates (I₁: 1.00, I₂: 0.80, and I₃: 0.60 of the estimated evapotranspiration, ET) as the main and split plots, respectively. Our results show that yield variables and water use efficiencies (WUEs) increased with increasing irrigation frequency and rate, with non-significant differences between F₁ and F₂ in yield variables and between I₁ and I₂ in WUEs. Moreover, the combination between various irrigation frequencies and rates had an important effect on yield variables and WUEs, with the highest values being found for F₁I₂ and F₂I₁ and the lowest for F₃I₃ and F₄I₃. The F₁I₃ treatment had grain yield and yield components values similar to those obtained for the F₃I₂ and F₄I₁ treatments and WUEs values similar to those obtained for the F₂I₁ and F₂I₂ treatments. Seasonal yield response factors (k_y) were 1.81 and 1.86 in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Production functions of yield versus seasonal crop ET were linear for all combinations of irrigation frequency and rate and for all irrigation frequency treatments with the exception of the F₁ treatment, which instead showed a second order relationship. The relationship between WUE and grain yield was best represented by a power equation. In conclusion, we identified the optimal coupling combinations between irrigation frequency and water application rate to achieve the maximum yield and WUEs under either sufficient (F₂I₁) or limited irrigation (F₁I₃) water supplies.     

Response of wheat to saline irrigation and drainage

The response of wheat (Triticum aestiuum L.) to varying depths of irrigation, quantity of water applied and to the drainage conditions was studied in 2 m × 2 m × 2 m size lysimeters filled in with a sandy loam soil. Saline water with an electrical conductivity of 8.6 dS m⁻¹ was used for irrigation. The treatments included four irrigations of 5 cm depth, four irrigations of 7 cm, and three irrigations of 9 cm, scheduled on the basis of cumulative pan evaporation, while the drainage conditions were represented by the drained and undrained lysimeters. Another treatment, using good quality water for irrigation, represented the potential yield of the crop. The growth parameters, as well as the yield, showed an improvement with larger irrigation depth increments in the drained lysimeters. But, in contrast, in the undrained lysimeters, the yield was reduced with larger irrigation depth increments, mainly due to a sharp rise in water table depth during the irrigation cycles. The rise and fall in water table showed a high sensitivity and were also highly disproportionate to the irrigation and evapotranspiration events. The yield tended to be higher with a smaller depth of water applied more frequently in the undrained lysimeters. But, in view of the limitations of conventional surface irrigation to apply water in smaller depth increments, an improved drainage is imperative for cropping in shallow saline water table conditions.