Planting Methods and Irrigation Depth Management to Enhance Water Productivity and Yield of Rice in the Northern Nile Delta, Egypt

Eid, Mona S.M.; Abdel-Fattah, Ibrahim M.; Elsaka, Mai A.M.; Abo-Elsoud, Hesham M.

doi:10.21608/ejss.2025.410842.2305

Planting Methods and Irrigation Depth Management to Enhance Water Productivity and Yield of Rice in the Northern Nile Delta, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Soils, Water and Environment Research Institute (SWERI), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza, Egypt

² Filed Crops Research Institute (FCRI), Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Giza, Egypt

10.21608/ejss.2025.410842.2305

Abstract

Improving crop yield and the productivity of irrigation water (PIW) is essential for sustainable agriculture, particularly in water-scarce regions. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different planting methods and irrigation depths on water applied, grain yield, and water productivity in rice cultivation under the agro ecological conditions of the Northern Nile Delta, A field experiment was conducted over two consecutive rice-growing seasons (2023 and 2024), using three planting methods, traditional planting (TPM), furrow planting (FPM), and bed planting (BPM) combined with three irrigation depths: 7 cm (D7), 5 cm (D5), and 3 cm (D3). Parameters measured included irrigation water applied (m³ ha⁻¹), grain yield (kg ha⁻¹), and PIW (kg m⁻³). Statistical analysis revealed significant differences among treatments. BPM recorded the lowest irrigation water applied (9,500 m³ ha⁻¹), while TPM recorded the highest (13,000 m³ ha⁻¹). Similarly, water applied increased with irrigation depth from D3 to D7. In terms of yield, TPM and FPM achieved the highest grain yields (11,500–12,000 kg ha⁻¹), whereas BPM yielded less (10,500 kg ha⁻¹). D7 produced the highest grain yield (13,000 kg ha⁻¹), followed by D5 with statistically similar performance, while D3 resulted in significantly lower yield (10,000 kg ha⁻¹). Despite lower yields, PIW increased under reduced irrigation depths and alternative planting methods, reaching its highest value with BPM and D3 (>1.12 kg m⁻³). In contrast, TPM and D7 showed the lowest PIW (0.89–1.02 kg m⁻³). Notably, BPM reduced water applied by approximately 27% but resulted in a 19% yield reduction compared to TPM. These findings suggest that bed planting, particularly when combined with moderate to shallow irrigation depths, can substantially enhance water productivity and may serve as an effective strategy for sustainable rice production in water-limited environments.

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