Effect of Intelligent Irrigation Technique on Water Use Efficiency for Cucumber and Pepper Crops in New Salhia Area

 





T





HE INTELLIGENT irrigation technique is a valuable tool for scheduling irrigation and quantifying water required by plants to achieve water savings. Field experiments were carried out in New Salhia area, El- Sharqia Governorate, Egypt, at (30° 18` N: 31° 23` E. 27 m a.s.l) during the summer season of 2015.The main objectives were to investigate the effectiveness of the intelligent irrigation technique (IIT) (Hunter Pro-C (H)) which was irrigated automatically on water use efficiency (WUE) and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) for irrigation scheduling of cucumber (Cucumis sativus Hayle) and pepper (Capsicum annuum) crops. The intelligent irrigation technique, (IIT) was implemented and tested under surface, (SDI) and sub-surface drip irrigation systems, (SSDI). The results obtained with these systems were consequently compared to that of the irrigation control technique (ICT), which was irrigated manually based on crop evapotranspiration (ETc) values. The results revealed that cucumber and pepper growth parameters except pH of juice were significantly increased by IIT under SSDI. In addition; IIT under SSDI conserved 34 and 24% of total applied irrigation water for cucumber and pepper respectively. Moreover, the results showed that the IIT under SSDI recorded significant increase 12 and 13% for marketable yield Ym of cucumber and pepper respectively. While, the results reported that the WUE values usingIIT under SSDI were significantly increased by about 30 to 33% for cucumber and pepper respectively. The results confirmed also that thevalues of IWUE at IIT under SSDI were significantly increased by about 49 to 39 % for cucumber and pepper respectively. The intelligent irrigation technique may provide a valuable tool for scheduling irrigation in cucumber and pepper farming and may be extendable for use in other similar agricultural crops. These results show that this IIT could be a flexible, practical tool for improving scheduled irrigation. Hence, this technique can therefore be recommended for efficient automated irrigation systems that produces higher yield and conserves large amounts of irrigation water.