Effect of Irrigation Management on Wheat Production in Farafra Oasis - Egypt

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted in villages named Subih (F1) and , Al-Farafra Oasis, New Valley Governorate, Egypt, during the winter season 2015-2016 by cultivating the wheat crop. Two management practices were carried out: Traditional management practices (TMP) under the conventional agriculture conducted by farmers' practices and improved management practices (IMP), which adopted long narrow borders irrigation system, LASER soil surface leveling for F1was 0.15 and 0.10% with F2 as longitudinal slope, mature organic compost 0, 30 and 50 m 3 ha -1 , two water distribution technique as spill controlled pipes (SP) and perforated controlled pipes (PP), and two inflow rates produced by developed irrigation management guidance program (WinSRFR 5.1.1) which were under F1 conditions (q1) and (q2) in an average of 135 and 99 Lpm of border width, respectively, and it was 48 and 42 Lpm, respectively, under F2. Results showed that management can be optimized then irrigation water rationalized by using simulation models. TMP in F1 and F2 conditions consumed 7635 and 6952 m 3 ha -1 on average, respectively, compared with IMP, by applying q1 under F1 and F2, saving water from 12.0 to 13.6 % and from10.0 to 11.5 %, respectively, upon compost rates and water distribution techniques. Grain yields increase by IMP 22.0 to 24,3 and 24.2 to 29.6 % for q1 of F1 and F2, respectively. Irrigation water use efficiency of grain yield (IWUEg) were 0.77 and 0.79 kg m -3 in F1T and F2T, respectively, the increment percentage reached 25.0 -43.8 and 15.0 -24.1 % for q1 and q2 in IMP.