Enhancement of Water Unit use Efficiency under Modified Surface Irrigation Conditions

Abstract

This study was conducted in Assiut Governorate, Upper Egypt. The objectives of this work were to study the performance of the developed surface irrigation system and comparing it with the traditional surface irrigation system. The performance indicators were hydraulic evaluation of irrigation systems, amount of applied water, water application efficiency, filed water use efficiency and crop yield. The results revealed that the amounts of water applied for wheat crop were 1123, 1168 and 1515 m3/fed under buried pipes, lining mesqas and earthen mesqas respectively. While they were 1180, 1216 and 1521 m3/fed of maize crop for the previous mesqas respectively. It is clear that, the highest values of applied water for all crops, were found at earthen mesqas during winter as well as summer season. Average water application efficiencies were as 39.20 %, 76.70 % and 81.75 % for earthen mesqas, lining mesqas and buried pipes respectively. The productivity of wheat and maize increased 21.74 and 20.83 % under buried pipe respectively. Also, wheat and maize were 16.28 % and 15.56 % respectively under lining mesqas compared with earthen mesqas. The values of field water use efficiency (FWUE) for wheat were 3.07 kg ∕ m3, 2.78 kg ∕ m3 and 1.78 kg ∕ m3 under buried pipe, lining mesqas and traditional surface irrigation respectively. also, it was for maize, 2.85 kg ∕ m3, 2.59 kg ∕ m3 and 1.75 kg ∕ m3 under buried pipe, lining mesqas and traditional surface irrigation respectively.