Effect of Irrigation Management and Water Quality on Soil and Sorghum bicolor Payenne Yield in Cape Verde

Abstract

Treated water use for agriculture will promote sustainable irrigation development and food sovereignty. The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) compared to drip irrigation (DI) and of reclaimed water (RW) versus conventional groundwater (CW), to produce forage sustainably in a warm arid region. A sorghum experiment was conducted in a field on Santiago Island (Cape Verde). A forage yield of 200 t fresh matter·ha−1·year−1, irrigated by RW, was obtained. Considering Cape Verde regulations, it is possible to irrigate sorghum using a drip system and RW without adding fertilizers. Soil fertility (OM and Ntot) increased, while risk parameters (EC, nitrate, and Na) returned to their initial values after the rainy season. The best irrigation water use efficiency was obtained by RWSDI (200 L·kg−1 DM) compared to RWDI, which needed 34% more water. According to the results, a high nitrate elimination rate in treatment plants might not be desirable if agricultural reuse is planned to irrigate high-N-demanding species. Establishing new salinity tolerance levels under reuse conditions with SDI, and irrigating in rainy months to promote the lixiviation of salts in arid regions are also necessary.

The Use and Management of Agricultural Irrigation Systems and Technologies

“…Palacios-Diaz et al [2] explored the feasibility of using reclaimed water together with subsurface drip irrigation and drip irrigation to produce sorghum forage in Santiago Island (Cape Verde), which is characterized by a warm, semi-arid climate. The best irrigationwater use efficiency was obtained with reclaimed water in combination with subsurface drip irrigation, at 200 L kg −1 of dry matter.…”

Analysis of Hotspots in Subsurface Drip Irrigation Research Using CiteSpace

“…Considering the distribution of nodes over time, #3 Wyoming emerged because of the impact of coalbed sodic water on agriculture in Wyoming, United States. Because of large-scale coal mining in the area, salty water has been injected into the coal seam and has forced farmers to use slightly saltier water for irrigation [53][54][55]. SDI, with its completely closed pipeline and precisely controlled flow rate, offers significant advantages in the use of nonconventional water resources (wastewater and saltwater) for irrigation.…”

Irrigation Management Strategies to Enhance Forage Yield, Feed Value, and Water-Use Efficiency of Sorghum Cultivars

“…The rate of yield decrease under DRIP was found to be relatively less pronounced due to the direct delivery of water to the root zone, which reduces water loss through evaporation and surface runoff [30,37]. Moreover, DRIP provides more uniform water distribution, helping to maintain soil moisture levels and reduce water stress on crops [38]. In addition, the study suggests that sorghum's forage yield in the second year was higher than in the first year, possibly due to the higher average air temperature and sorghum's C4 photosynthetic system [8].…”