Evaluations of drip and furrow irrigation method under deficit irrigation for pepper productivity in Northwest Ethiopia

Abstract

The combination of reduced food production and growing water scarcity posed significant difficulties for agriculture and economic development in Ethiopia. To minimize water loss, an experiment was carried out that was both economically viable and technically feasible. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the irrigation methods (Drip vs furrow) in terms of crop and water productivity, as well as technical implications in the Ethiopian context. A split plot in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications was used to experiment over two consecutive years, 2018 and 2019. Two irrigation systems, furrow irrigation and drip irrigation, were the focus of the plots. The sub-plots, on the other hand, examined four levels of deficit irrigation: 55%, 70%, 85%, and 100%. Drip irrigation resulted in a marketable fresh fruit yield of 6226.1 kg/ha, while furrow irrigation produced 5284.5 kg/ha. Water use efficiency is 20.678 kg/m3 for drip irrigation and 12.827 kg/m3 for furrow irrigation. Under full irrigation, the highest yield of marketable fresh fruit was 9560.2 kg/ha, while the lowest commercial fruit production was 4199.7 kg/ha at 55% of ETc. The results of the analysis suggest that drip irrigation may not be technically feasible for large-scale agricultural operations, as indicated by the substantial evidence from irrigating with 85% ETC using furrow irrigation. Hence, employing 85% ETC for irrigation in water-scarce regions has the potential to improve yield and water productivity.