Irrigation performance and gross water productivity in furrow-irrigated ornamental tree production

Abstract

In the ornamental plant production region of Girona (Spain), which is one of the largest of its kind in southern Europe, most of the surface is irrigated using wide blocked-end furrows. The objectives of this paper were: (1) to evaluate the irrigation scheduling methods used by ornamental plant producers; (2) to analyse different scenarios in order to assess how they affect irrigation performance; (3) to evaluate the risk of deep percolation; and (4) to calculate gross water productivity. A two-year study in a representative commercial field, planted with Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra', was carried out. The irrigation dose applied by the farmers was slightly smaller than the required water dose estimated by the use of two different methods: the first based on soil water content, and the second based on evapotranspiration. Distribution uniformity and application efficiency were high, with mean values above 87%. Soil water content measurements revealed that even at the end of the furrow, where the infiltrated water depth was greatest, more than 90% of the infiltrated water was retained in the shallowest 40 cm of the soil; accordingly, the risk of water loss due to deep percolation was minimal. Gross water productivity for ornamental tree production was € 11.70 m -3 , approximately 20 times higher than that obtained with maize in the same region.Additional key words: blocked-end furrow; irrigation efficiency; irrigation uniformity; ornamental plant nursery ResumenCaracterísticas del riego y productividad bruta del agua en el riego por surcos aplicado a la producción de planta ornamental En la zona de producción de planta ornamental de Girona (España), que es una de las mayores del sur de Europa, la mayor parte de la superficie es regada por surcos. Los objetivos del presente artículo son: (1) evaluar la programación de riegos que realizan los productores de planta ornamental; (2) analizar diferentes escenarios para ver como afectan la calidad del riego; (3) evaluar el riesgo de percolación profunda; (4) calcular la productividad bruta del agua. Se realizó un estudio de dos años en un campo comercial de Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra'. La dosis de agua aplicada por los agricultores fue ligeramente inferior a la dosis de riego requerida estimada por dos métodos distintos: el primero basado en el contenido de agua en el suelo y el segundo en la evapotranspiración. La uniformidad de distribución y eficiencia de aplicación fueron altos, con valores medios por encima del 87%. Las medidas de contenido de agua en el suelo revelaron que al final del surco, donde la lámina de agua infiltrada fue mayor, más del 90% del agua infiltrada se retuvo en los primeros 40 cm del suelo; en consecuencia, el riesgo de pérdidas de aguas debido a la percolación profunda fue mínimo. La productividad bruta del agua en la producción de árboles ornamentales fue de 11,70 € m -3 , aproximadamente 20 veces mayor que la obtenida en maíz en la misma región.

Prospects for Improving Gravity-Fed Surface Irrigation Systems in Mediterranean European Contexts

“…The lack of technical criteria to define input flow rates and cutting times on the plot scale affects not only the achieved efficiency in the field but also the optimal alterations to the main and secondary channels. An example of the potential that can be achieved under surface irrigation can be illustrated by the irrigation distribution uniformity of the low quarter and efficiency application achieving of 88 and 93%, respectively, as reported by Arbat et al [54] in a commercial furrow irrigated ornamental orchard in the Sèquia Vinyals; (v) The price the irrigators pay for the water is not consistent with the pricing policy set forth in the EU Water Framework Directive. The progressive adaptation of pricing is expected to happen and will be important for consideration.…”

EVALUATION OF SURGE AND CUTBACK FLOW FURROW IRRIGATION SYSTEMS FOR PEPPER (CAPSICUM ANNUUM) PRODUCTION

“…Agriculture is central in meeting this challenge because the production of food and other agricultural products takes 70% of the freshwater withdrawals from rivers and groundwater (Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture, ). In connection with this, various scholars have conducted research on the evaluation and optimization of furrow irrigation systems under various geophysical settings and crop types (Arbat et al ., ; Bavi et al ., ; Pordeus et al ., ). Unlu et al .…”

“…Agriculture is central in meeting this challenge because the production of food and other agricultural products takes 70% of the freshwater withdrawals from rivers and groundwater (Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture, 2007). In connection with this, various scholars have conducted research on the evaluation and optimization of furrow irrigation systems under various geophysical settings and crop types (Arbat et al, 2011;Bavi et al, 2012;Pordeus et al, 2012). Unlu et al (2007) used several management methods of furrow irrigation systems including continuous flow, surge flow, cutback flow, tailwater reuse and variable alternate flow to evaluate water saving and yield of the test crop.…”

Evaluating Gravity-Flow Irrigation with Lessons from Yuma, Arizona, USA

“…It is true that pressurized irrigation systems (such as sprinkler or drip) can achieve higher levels of on-farm application efficiency than traditional gravity systems. Yet, there are also counter-examples throughout the world of farming systems that have achieved high levels of on-farm application efficiency [7,[9][10][11]. The management of gravity systems is not static.…”

“…The management of gravity systems is not static. Farmers support and experiment with quite sophisticated systems, such as ones relying on computerization, automation, and real-time optimization [7,[9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]. Further, simple measures of on-farm application efficiency ignore more comprehensive aspects of basin-wide efficiency ditch has "gates" or "valves" installed in the side of the ditch, which are opened to release water from the ditch into furrows or into a border.…”