Irrigation frequency and total water application with trickle and furrow systems

One of the main attributes of trickle irrigation is that it enables the available water to be utilised as efficiently as possible. This is achieved through the elimination of waste that is an inevitable consequence of normal irrigation practice.The water requirements of crops can be calculated to a reasonable degree of accuracy using formulae that have been developed to relate evapotranspiration to the evaporation from a U.S. Class A pan evaporimeter, with suitable adjustments for the particular crop and the degree of ground cover.The aims of the experiments described in this paper were:

1. (1) to compare the yield of field tomatoes under trickle irrigation and furrow irrigation over a range of irrigation frequencies and amounts that can reasonably be used for both methods;

2. (2) to compare the effects of irrigation frequency over a range of irrigation amounts that are typical for each irrigation method;

3. (3) to compare the effects of irrigation amounts over a range of irrigation frequencies that are typical for each irrigation method;

4. (4) to examine the interaction, if any, between irrigation frequency and amount.

The results of the trial showed that there was no difference in yield between trickle irrigation and furrow irrigation over a range of conditions for which they could legitimately be compared. At the same time it should be realized that the results for furrow irrigation on small plots may not adequately represent the normal farm practice for this method, where less efficient watering occurs due to long runs and unavoidable inequalities in water application.For both irrigation methods there was a consistent trend of decreasing yields with increasing irrigation frequency. Where departures from this trend occurred in unusual irrigation conditions (i.e. continuous irrigation and prolonged drought) the effect is explained by physiological causes that relate to the particular conditions. In such cases only, there was an interaction between irrigation frequency and amount.For each irrigation frequency the highest yields were obtained for the optimum amounts as calculated to match the potential evapotranspiration rate. Equal amounts of under-watering and over-watering resulted in approximately the same reductions in yields.The results from the trial indicate that the highest yields and greatest efficiency of water use occur at frequent intervals with an amount of applied water approximately equal to that calculated from simple formulae relating evapotranspiration to measured pan evaporation. Extrapolation of the results of particular trials to other crops, soils and climates should be treated with caution. However, the agreement of the results with those predicted from physiological and empirical data, and the fact that the results from other experiments also agree with such formulae, give cause for confidence in predicting the responses to irrigation timing and amounts over a wide range of conditions.     

Effect of irrigation and harvesting dates on the yield of spring-sown sugar-beet

Results are given from a 2-year trial (1979–80) on sugar-beet sown in the spring in the Sele River Plain (Southern Italy).Four watering regimes were compared in factorial combination with two harvesting dates: in addition to no irrigation, three different irrigation schedules were applied during the growing season, based on the net accumulated pan “A” evaporation, the crop coefficient and an irrigation cycle coefficient.In the 1st year, highest yields of roots and sucrose were obtained with the largest water depths (555 and 655 mm for the two irrigation dates) applying short irrigation cycles; in the 2nd year, with intermediate water depths (300 and 350 mm) and intermediate irrigation cycles. Irrigation increased mean weight and size of roots and decreased sucrose percentage. A 1-month delay in harvest increased mean weight, sizes and yield of roots and decreased the sucrose percent although the final sucrose yield was not affected.     

Water use and yield response of wheat to irrigation and nitrogen on an alluvial soil in North India

Field studies were conducted for four years on alluvial soils of North India to determine the water use, water use efficiency and yield performance of a semi-dwarf high-yielding wheat variety (Triticum aestivum L.) in response to irrigation schedule and nitrogen fertilization. Irrigation scheduling was based on different ratios between irrigation water and cumulative pan evaporation (IW/CPE). Irrigations of 6-cm depth were applied on the basis of IW/CPE ratio of 0.45, 0.60, 0.75 and 0.90. Pan evaporation data were recorded daily using standard USWB-Class A Open pan (as prescribed by India Meterological Department) located at Research Farm, Selakui, Dehradun where the experiment was conducted. The CPE values were computed for each year individually. The crop was fertilized with nitrogen at the rate of 0, 60 and 120 kg/ha.The yield and yield attributes were highest and irrigation efficiency was maximum when irrigation was applied at an IW/CPE ratio of 0.75 in a normal-rainfall year and at 0.90 in a low-rainfall year. Water use efficiency decreased with increase in irrigation frequency. Nitrogen fertilization increased the yield of wheat linearly and was maximum at 120 kg nitrogen per hectare.     

Yield and economic return of vegetable crops under variable irrigation

 Field experiments were conducted for 2 years (1997 and 1998) on sandy loam soil in northwestern Botswana to study the effect of five levels of pan evaporation replenishment (20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%) on marketable yield, yield components, irrigation production efficiency and economic return of winter broccoli, carrot, rape and cabbage under a drip irrigation method. The highest mean marketable yield (2 years) of broccoli (19.1 t/ha), carrot (58.9 and 32.9 t/ha), rape (61.8 t/ha) and cabbage (97.2 t/ha) was recorded at 80% of pan evaporation replenishment. The irrigation production efficiency of broccoli (5.9 kg/m³), rape (14.6 kg/m³) and cabbage (23.6 kg/m³) was maximum at 80, 20 and 60% of pan evaporation replenishment respectively. Irrigation replenishment up to 80% of pan evaporation loss did not influence the irrigation production efficiency for total and root yield of carrot. The results revealed that a further increase in irrigation amount resulting from 100% of pan evaporation replenishment did not increase the marketable yield of crops but reduced the irrigation production efficiency significantly. The seasonal water applied and marketable yield of broccoli, carrot, rape and cabbage showed quadratic relationships (R ² = 0.85–0.98), which can be used for allocating irrigation water within and between the crops. The net return increased with the increase in pan evaporation replenishment. The results revealed that the rape crop is the most remunerative, followed by cabbage, broccoli and carrot. Received: 2 November 1998     

自动补水蒸发皿装置的原理及应用

为了更好地利用蒸发皿的蒸发量指导农田灌溉,根据马氏瓶工作原理设计了一种简单、实用,价格低廉而且操控性强的恒水位蒸发皿装置,此装置在20 cm标准蒸发皿的基础上附加了一个自动补水装置.以20 cm标准蒸发皿的蒸发量为标准,对可进行自动补水的恒水位蒸发皿的水面蒸发过程进行了验证.通过大田冬小麦试验建立了水面蒸发过程与冬小麦同阶段耗水过程的关系.结果表明,设计开发的蒸发皿装置,具有较好的稳定性,组间测量值相对平均误差小于5%,超过5 d相对平均误差小于2%;其水面蒸发过程与20 cm标准蒸发皿的蒸发量具有显著的相关关系,相关系数高达0.99;华北地区优质高产冬小麦在拔节期、抽穗扬花期和灌浆成熟期的田间耗水量,与自动补水蒸发皿同阶段累计水面蒸发量的比值分别为1.09,1.31和1.16.因此,可以用该装置的水面蒸发量来指导农田灌溉,达到农作物优质、高效、高产的目的.     

Water production function of sorghum for Northeast Brazil

The results of an experiment to determine the water production function of sorghum for Northeast Brazilian conditions are reported. The experiment was designed in two random blocks consisting of four growth stages for irrigation deficit and four levels of nitrogen.The crop response to water was found to be of quadratic nature. Regression coefficients were developed for each nitrogen and growth stage treatment between water use and grain yields. The most critical stage was found to be the vegetative stage followed by flowering and grain formation stages.The yield response factors as according to Doorenbos and Kassam were found to vary drastically not only with different nitrogen levels and crop growth stages but also with different irrigation levels. A modified linear equation has been suggested. The coefficients of this modified equation have been determined for all four stages and for the four nitrogen levels for sorghum.The highest average water use efficiency of 109.3 kg ha⁻¹ cm⁻¹ of water and highest obtainable grain yield of 4.92 t/ha was found to be at 425 mm of water use and 45 kg/ha of nitrogen.The crop coefficients (K_c) to compute crop water use from pan evaporation vary between 0.4 and 0.81 with an average for the whole growing period of 0.75.     

Yield,water use and root distribution of wheat as affected by pre-sowing and post-sowing irrigation

Irrigation water is a limited resource, and therefore irrigation practices must be rationalized for high water-use efficiency. Little is known about the influence of stored water in deep soils on the water needs and the post-sowing irrigation requirements of crops. A 3-year field experiment was conducted to determine the effects of combinations of light and heavy pre-sowing irrigations with two post-sowing irrigation regimes on yield, root growth, water use and water-use efficiency of wheat on a deep alluvial sandy loam soil. Post-sowing treatments consisted of (i) five 75-mm irrigations at five growth stages, and (ii) irrigations based on pan evaporation, i.e. at IW/PAN-E ratio of 0.75 (75 mm of irrigation water were provided as soon as the open-pan evaporation minus rainfall since previous irrigation was 100 mm).The latter regime required 175 mm less water than that with irrigation at growth stages. Profile water utilization was inversely related to post-sowing irrigation water. Where pre-sowing irrigation was light, post-sowing irrigations based on pan evaporation yielded significantly less than those based on growth stages. With heavy pre-sowing irrigation, irrigation based on the pan evaporation yielded as much as five irrigations at growth stages. The former decreased the mean water application by 153 mm and increased the water-use efficiency by 26%. Irrigation based on pan evaporation stimulated greater utilization of stored water by increasing the rooting density in deeper layers.It is indicated that for higher water-use efficiency and yield, wheat should be sown after a heavy pre-sowing irrigation, and post-sowing irrigation should be based on 0.75 pan evaporation.     

Growth,yield and soil water extraction of irrigated and dryland peanuts in South Sulawesi,Indonesia

Summary Irrigation at 35 and 70 mm of pan evaporation applied during the pre and/or post early podfilling stages increased pod yield of Spanish peanuts (100 day maturity) three fold compared to a dryland crop. There was no difference in pod yield in crops receiving 12 compared to 6 irrigations. Soil water sampling immediately after irrigations on selected treatments revealed that infiltration of irrigation water was probably restricted to less than ca. 20 cm, a response which resulted in poor soil water replenishment and low irrigation efficiency (Fig. 3). Even though roots extracted soil water below the compaction layer which was at 20 cm severe crop water deficits had developed by the end of irrigation cycles during later but not early stages of growth. The dryland crop, which received no rainfall during the season, presumably extracted significant amounts of soil water at depths to and below 1.2 m (Fig. 3). Despite producing ca. 2.9 t ha^-1 of total dry matter yield, pod yield was extremely low (0.5 t ha^-1) arising from low pod numbers and high percentage of empty pods.This research was funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR-Project 8419) in collaboration with the Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (AARD).     

Water-use efficiency of sorghum and groundnut under traditional and current irrigation in the Gezira scheme, Sudan

In the Gezira irrigation scheme in central Sudan, serious symptoms of water waste have been identified in the last two decades, especially in sorghum and groundnut fields. To quantify losses, water-use efficiencies and related parameters were obtained for these two food crops under the traditional attended daytime water application and the newly evolved unattended continuous watering method. In this on-farm research, the neutron scattering method was used to determine the actual soil water deficits of the two crops. A simple Penman equation was used for approximating reference crop evapotranspiration and evaporation losses from standing water and wet soil surface. An updated approach using the Penman-Monteith equation was additionally applied. The study revealed wastage of irrigation water in both irrigation methods but at different rates and also differently for each crop. In the attended field, the average seasonal over-irrigation, which is the difference between average application depth Q and average soil moisture deficit SWD, was observed to range between 0.4 and 1.5 of SWD (0.3 and 0.6 of Q) and the corresponding values in the unattended field were 0.6 and 3.2 of SWD (0.4 and 0.8 of Q). Higher values are shown by the groundnut subplots, which crop also suffers from excess water, and by the drier year as well as in the unattended fields. A first approximation is given, still including readily available water at harvest, of minimum water requirements in attended watering for maximum yields. In the drier year, when more irrigation water was applied, an amount equal to 30-50% of these minimum water requirements was lost in evaporation from standing water/wet surface, which is the main unproductive water. More frequent land levelling aiming at minimum standing water in better attended irrigation and farm management (e.g. weeding) are priority measures proposed. The quantitative on-farm water waste determinations represent the innovative content of this paper. Knowing precisely how large the problem is and being able to quantify its components will contribute much to the arguments of those who wish to take the proposed measures.     

Influence of different water quantities and qualities on lemon trees and soil salt distribution at the Jordan Valley

The influences of water quantity and quality on young lemon trees (Eureka) were studied at the University of Jordan Research Station at the Jordan Valley for 5 years (1996–2000). Five water levels and three water qualities were imposed via trickle irrigation system on clay loam soil. The primary effect of excess salinity is that it renders less water available to plants although some is still present in the root zone. Lemon trees water requirements should be modified year by year since planting according to the percentage shaded area, and this will lead into substantial water saving. Both evaporation from class A pan and the percentage shaded area can be used to give a satisfactory estimate of the lemon trees water requirement at the different growth stages. The highest lemon fruit yield was at irrigation water depth equal to evaporation depth from class A pan when corrected for tree canopy percentage area. Increasing irrigation water salinity 3.7 times increased average crop root zone salinity by about 3.8–4.1 times.The high salt concentration at the soil surface is due to high evaporation rate from wetted areas and the nature of soil water distribution associated with drip irrigation system. Then, the salt concentration decreased until the second depth, thereafter, salt concentration followed the bulb shape of the wetted soil volume under trickle irrigation. Irrigation water salinity is very important factor that should be managed with limited (deficit) irrigation. But increasing amount of applied saline water could result in a negative effect on crop yield and environment such as increasing average crop root zone salinity, nutrient leaching, water logging, increasing the drainage water load of salinity which might pollute ground water and other water sources.     

考虑“蒸发悖论”的洱海灌区逐日参考作物蒸散发预测

【目的】为估算参考作物蒸散发(ET₀)和灌溉实时预报调度、区域农业干旱评估提供依据。【方法】以滇中高原上洱海湖滨灌区的大理气象站为例,探究“蒸发悖论”现象出现的时期,采用气象因子线性回归模型、蒸发皿折算系数K_p模型、气象因子+蒸发皿蒸发(E_pan)多元回归模型、Normal Copula模型等4种方法计算逐日ET₀进行预测对比,并与Penman-Monteith公式计算所得的ET₀进行对比。【结果】①1954—2018年大理站20 cm蒸发皿蒸发量呈下降趋势,ET₀和气温呈上升趋势,但ET₀的上升趋势更平缓;虽然在长时间序列上ET₀和蒸发皿蒸发量有相反的变化趋势,但在年代际存在显著的差异性,1960年和2000全年以及四季均出现“蒸发悖论”,1970年则是全年以及夏、秋、冬三季出现“蒸发悖论”,1990年仅夏季出现“蒸发悖论”,2010年秋季出现“蒸发悖论”。②在未出现“蒸发悖论”时期,加入E_pan后的气象因子多元回归模型法(ET_0,Epan+Metr)所得逐日ET₀预测结果与标准值的误差最小,其次为单纯的气象因子多元线性回归模型法(ET₀,Metr),最差为K_p模型法(ET₀,K_p);加入E_pan后的气象因子多元回归模型(ET₀,ET_0,Epan+Metr)逐日ET₀预测的相对误差(ERR)小于15%、20%、25%的样本数达到了79.18%~90.16%、89.32%~97.23%、94.79%~98.36%。③出现“蒸发悖论”时,蒸发皿蒸发与ET₀的变化趋势相反,只能采用Copula联合分布函数模型预测,构建T-T_max二维Normal Copula模型的精度更高,ERR小于15%、20%、25%的样本数为73.70%~86.56%,82.51%~92.95%,89.89%~98.52%。【结论】通过M-K检验判别是否处于“蒸发悖论”期,以决策选用加入E_pan后的气象因子多元回归模型,还是T-T_max二维Normal Copula模型,二者均可显著提高逐日ET₀预测模拟的精度。     

Evapotranspiration and responses to irrigation of broccoli

In cold, semi-arid areas, the options for crop diversification are limited by climate and by the water supply available. Growing irrigated crops outside the main season is not easy, because of climatic and market constraints. We carried out an experiment in Albacete, Central Spain, to measure the water use (evapotranspiration, ET) of broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica Plenck) planted in late summer and harvested at the end of fall. A weighing lysimeter was used to measure the seasonal ET under sprinkler irrigation. Consumptive use reached 359 mm for a period of 109 days after transplanting. The crop coefficient (K_c) for broccoli was obtained and compared to the standard recommendations for normal planting dates. Dual crop coefficient computations of the lysimeter ET data indicated that evaporation represented 31% of seasonal ET. An analysis of the variation in daily K_c values at a time of full cover suggested that the use of a grass lysimeter as a reference ET (ET_o) was superior to using the ASCE Penman-Monteith (ASCE PM) equation at hourly time steps, which in turn caused less variability in K_c than when using the FAO-56 Penman-Monteith (FAO-56 PM) equation at daily time steps for the ET_o calculation. An additional experiment aimed at evaluating the yield response to applied irrigation water by the drip method (seven treatments, from 59 to 108% of ET_c) generated a production function that gave maximum yields of near 12 t ha⁻¹ at an irrigation level of 345 mm, and a water use efficiency of 3.37 kg m⁻³. It is concluded that growing broccoli in the fall season is a viable alternative for crop diversification, as the lower yields obtained here may be more than compensated for by the higher produce prices in autumn, at a time of the year where irrigation water demand for other crops is very low.     

Sugarcane response to irrigation and straw mulch in a subtropical region

In Northern India, insufficient soil moisture and excessively high soil temperatures are reported to restrict growth of crops during the hot, dry months of April–June. A 3-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of three irrigation schedules based on ratios of 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00 times pan evaporation, and two levels of paddy straw mulch of 0 and 6 tons/ha on yield and quality of sugarcane for a sandy loam. The differential irrigations were restricted to 10–12 weeks before the monsoon season.Both irrigation and straw mulching had favourable effects on plant height and yield. Cane yield increased by an average of 13.8% for the 1.00 over the 0.50 times pan evaporation. Similarly, yield averaged 13.8% higher with mulch than without it. Interestingly, the pan evaporation ratio of 0.50 with mulch gave a higher yield than the ratio 1.00 without mulch. For the same yield, irrigation under mulching averaged 34 cm less than under no mulch. These beneficial effects were attributed to better soil moisture and temperature regimes with mulching. Irrigation and mulching had no effect on the quality of cane juice. These results indicate that straw mulching and early season irrigation to sugarcane based on 1.00 times pan evaporation is a promising practice for increasing sugarcane production in subtropical areas.     

Soil moisture variation and water consumption of spring wheat and their effects on crop yield under drip irrigation

A field study for the arid northwest China has been conducted to find water-saving strategies of drip irrigation for dense-planted crops. The annual water consumption for optimal growth was 420 mm, of which soil evaporation was 27% and the foliage transpiration 73%. A relationship between soil water consumption and the irrigation amount, crop yield and water use efficiency were established. It was found that for high crop yield, it is important to maintain rather high soil water content during the two sensitive growth stages: elongation and milky filling stages. It is concluded that with drip irrigation higher yield was achieved although much less water was applied than what was used in block irrigation experiment.     

不同灌水量和灌水频率对田间黄瓜耗水特性及产量的影响

[目的]确定大田黄瓜最适宜的灌溉频率和灌水量.[方法]试验于2018年在华北水利水电大学农业高效用水试验场进行,以20 cm标准蒸发皿的累积蒸发量(E20)作为灌水依据,灌溉处理分为2个灌溉间隔(I1:3 d;I2:6 d)和3种水面蒸发系数(K1:0.5;K2:0.7;K3:0.9),共6个处理,对黄瓜耗水特性、产量...     

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) growth response to water and temperature

Summary Four cultivars of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L cv. Vangard, Cody, Zia, and Dawson) were grown under a gradient irrigation system on a Pullman clay loam soil (fine, mixed, thermic, Torrertic Paleustoll) at Bushland, Texas. Twelve harvests were taken during 1983, 1984 and 1985 over a wide range of irrigation levels. Alfalfa was harvested at 10% bloom and subsamples were oven dried and ashed. Irrigation water and rainfall were determined by catchment collections and soil moisture content was determined with a neutron soil moisture probe. Potential evaporation was determined by pan evaporation and by modified Penman, Priestley and Taylor, and Jensen and Haise prediction equations from climatic data. No varietal differences in the relationship of yield to water or water use efficiency occurred. Yield within each harvest correlated well with evapotranspiration (ET). The regression of yield with ET over all twelve harvests had a low coefficient of determination. Relative yield had a high correlation with relative ET when maximum ET was measured but the correlation was lower when maximum ET was calculated from a prediction equation or pan evaporation. The correlation increased when the maximum yield for each harvest was used rather than a constant value. Including a high temperature factor in the equation greatly improved the correlation between yield and ET but the correlation was not as high as when relative yield was correlated with relative measured ET. Water use efficiency was highest with the highest yields.Contribution Texas Agricultural Experiment Station. Paper No. 20929     

Deficit irrigation under water stress and salinity conditions: The MOPECO-Salt Model

In both arid and semi-arid areas the use of saline water for irrigation is a common practice, even though it may cause a drop in crop yield and progressive soil salinization. In order to determine the most suitable irrigation strategy for higher yield, profitability, and soil salinity management of certain crops, the MOPECO-Salt Model has been developed. This model was first validated in the Eastern Mancha Agricultural System in Albacete (Spain) through a test carried out on onion crop in April-September 2009, where the simulated yield was 2% lower than the observed one. The model was then tested at Tal Amara Research Station in the Central Bekaa Valley Agricultural System (Lebanon) using data from a 5-year experiment on the effects of deficit irrigation on two cultivars of potato (Spunta: July-October 2001, and June-September 2002; and Agria: March-August 2004, 2005, and 2007). Furthermore, these results were compared with those obtained through AquaCrop, which does not currently assess crop response to salinity. Differences between observed and simulated yields were lower than 3% for MOPECO-Salt and up to 12% for AquaCrop. According to findings from simulations, the irrigation strategies without leaching fraction employed in both areas are remediable since the off-season rainfall is sufficient to wash out soluble salts supplied with irrigation water. Results showed that as much as 14.4% water could be saved when this strategy was adopted for onion crops.     

温室番茄节水调质灌水方案评价

为寻求日光温室番茄优质高效的灌溉制度,采用设置于温室番茄冠层齐平位置的水面蒸发测定装置,设计3种基于水面蒸发量的灌水间隔水平和4种灌水量水平组合处理,依据小区试验观测结果,分析确定了以番茄产量、水分利用率、单果重、可溶性固形物质量分数及果实硬度等5项指标为主的节水调质灌溉制度评价体系;在采用变异系数法确定出各指标权重的基础上,借鉴TOPSIS综合评价方法,建立了温室番茄节水、优质、高产相统一的综合评价模型,应用该模型确定基于水面蒸发量的温室番茄节水调质灌溉制度,即当累积水面蒸发量Epan达到10mm±2mm时进行灌溉,灌水量为0.9Epan,在产量不降低的情况下,提高了水分利用率,并在一定程度上提高了果实的营养品质和储运品质.     

Water use and wheat yields in northern India under different irrigation regimes

Field studies were conducted during a 3-year period to determine wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield in response to irrigation scheduling and variable fertilization.Irrigation scheduling was done on the basis of cumulative pan evaporation. Irrigations were given at 25, 50 and 75% available water in the top 60 cm soil profile. The amount of irrigation water applied at each irrigation was equivalent to 75% of the cumulative open pan evaporation. The crop was fertilized at the rate of 0, 60, and 120 kg/ha nitrogen.The yield of wheat was significantly affected by irrigation water and nitrogen treatments. Maximum yield was obtained with irrigation at 50% available soil water and 120 kg/ha nitrogen addition (5092 kg/ha). Consumptive use of water was maximum when irrigation was applied at 75% available soil water. The irrigation at 50% available soil water, however, resulted in greatest yield per cm water use by the crop.     

Yield and water relations of wheat as influenced by irrigation and depth of tillage

Summary Development of a ploughpan has been reported in Bangladesh for almost all ploughed soils which are puddled for transplanted rice cultivation. Field information on the water requirement of dryland crops such as wheat and the effects of loosening the dense layer on crop yield and water use efficiency are very limited. Field experiments were, therefore, conducted in the grey floodplain soil of Sonatala series (Aeric Haplaquept) to study the irrigation and tillage effects on the yield and water relations of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Sonalika). The split plot design experiment comprised four irrigation treatments in the mainplots viz. W₀ = no irrigation, W₁ = irrigation of 5 cm at 4 weeks after planting, W₂-W₁ + irrigation(s) of 5 cm each at irrigation water to cummulative pan evaporation (IW/CPE) ratio of 0.75 and W₃- W₁ + irrigation(s) of 5 cm eacht at IW/CPE ratio of 0.50. The sub-plot tillage depth treatments were: A-7.5 cm (traditional), B-15 cm, C-22.5 cm, D-22.5 cm practised in alternate wheat seasons. Measurements were made of grain and straw yield, soil water depletion and water expense efficiency.Irrigation had no effect on grain or straw yield. Tillage to 15 cm increased wheat yield by about 15% over traditional depth to ploughing. In general, deep tillage coupled with one irrigation at four weeks after planting produced the largest wheat yield.Soil water depletion (SWD) in the 0–90 cm profile was greatest in the treatment receiving two irrigations, one at 4 weeks and again at IW/CPE ratio of 0.50. The average SWD in this treatment was 113 in 1982–83 and 82 mm in 1983–84. Plots receiving traditional tillage (7.5 cm) had the greatest SWD. Total water expense were the greatest in treatments receiving three irrigations. The maximum water expense efficiency (WEE) of wheat was observed in the non-irrigated plots in 1982–83 and 1983–84, respectively. Deep tillage treatments, in general, had significantly greater WEE than those under traditional ploughing. Intensive irrigation and efficient soil and water management are important factors in enhancing crop productivity. The former not only permits judicious water use but also better utilization of other production factors thereby leading to increased crop yield which, in turn, helps stabilize the farming economy. The best way to meet increasing demand for water is to adopt efficient water management practices to increase water use efficiency.Irrigation should aim at restoring the soil water in the root zone to a level at which the crop can fully meet its evapo-transpiration (ET) requirement. The amount of water to be applied at each irrigation and how often a soil should be irrigated depend, however, on several factors such as the degree of soil water deficit before irrigation, soil types, crops, and climatic conditions (Chaudhury and Gupta 1980).Knowledge of movement of water through the soil is imperative to efficient water management and utilization. The presence of a dense pan impedes water movement into the sub-soil. As a result, the top soil becomes saturated by irrigation and sensitive dryland crops can fail as this plough layer impedes the penetration of roots into deeper soil layers and decreases water extraction. Crops growing in these soils often undergo severe water stress within 5–8 days after rainfall or irrigation (Lowry et al. 1970). Due to decrease rates of water flow, the lower soil layer may remain unsaturated and as a result, the recharge and soil water storage in the profile are considerably decreased (Sur et al. 1981).In Bangladesh, ploughpans develop to varying degree in almost all ploughed soils (Brammer 1980). They are particularly marked in soils which are puddled for transplanted rice cultivation where the pan is usually only 8–10 cm below the soil surface and 3–5 cm thick. Its presence is generally regarded as advantageous for cultivation of transplanted rice in that it prevents excessive deep percolation losses of water. But in the same soil this cultivation for a subsequent dryland crop would adversely affect yield. A slight modification of the plough layer could enable good yields of both rice and a dryland crop to be obtained in the same soil in different seasons (Brammer 1980). The sub soils have a good bearing capacity, both when wet and dry and the pan can easily be reformed, if desired, for cultivating transplanted rice after a dryland crop like wheat.Professor of Soil Science, Dhaka University, Dhaka, Bangladesh