IMPROVING IRRIGATION PERFORMANCE OF RAISED BED WHEAT USING THE WinSRFR MODEL UNDER EGYPTIAN CONDITIONS

Abstract

Field experiments were carried out at the Sakha Agricultural Research Station in the governorate of Kafr el Sheikh, Egypt to evaluate and optimize the irrigation performance of raised beds wheat using the WinSRFR model during 2019/2020. Raised beds (RB130 cm, and RB100 cm) were prepared using Raised bed planter. The model calibration was based on a close match between the observed and simulated curves of advance and recession time. Simulation Analysis World was used to evaluate the current irrigation performance of the raised bed furrows (RB) and the flat basin (FB) methods. The simulation analysis shows that for RB130 cm, RB100 cm, and FB irrigation systems, the application efficiencies were 80, 64, 43%, and distribution uniformities were 86, 88, 90%, and deep percolation losses were 20, 36, 56%, and adequacy were 1.07, 1.37, 2.08%, respectively. Physical Design World was used to optimize and develop different design strategies. The results showed that irrigation performance decreased with the increasing length of furrow and basin, so extremely long lengths should be avoided because they result in decreased efficiency and uniformity, as well as big deep percolation loss. Managing the inflow rate and irrigation cut-off through Operation Analysis World can increase application efficiency and reduce deep percolation losses by more than 15%, 60%, and 17%, 33%, and 23%, 17.5% respectively, for RB130 cm, RB100 cm, and FB.