The Response of Cotton to Subsurface Drip and Furrow Irrigation in a Vertisol

Abstract

The practice and management of subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) on heavy clay soils is poorly understood. Over-irrigation can lead to excessive runoff and drainage, with associated negative environmental consequences. Experiments were conducted in 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) in a Vertisol in Australia to evaluate the effect of SDI at various application rates on cotton yield and quality, and the results were compared with those for conventional furrow irrigation. Irrigating with SDI that supplied 50% or 75% of daily crop evapotranspiration (ETc) maintained a dry upper soil profile throughout the season. SDI at 50% ETc could potentially capture 250mm more rain during the season compared to SDI 90% ETc, and even more than furrow irrigation. However, supplying only 50% ETc with SDI hastened the maturity of the crop by on average 25 days compared with furrow irrigation and higher SDI rates, fewer bolls were set and yields were lower than in the other treatments. Nevertheless, a shorter season, if yield sacrifice is acceptable, favours logistics when integrating winter crops with summer cotton. It also reduces the number and cost of pesticide sprays and irrigation. Yield plateaued when 75% or more of daily ETc was supplied by SDI. The two drier treatments (SDI at 50% and 75% of ETc) had consistently higher water use efficiencies (WUE) for lint production compared with those of the two wetter SDI treatments (SDI at 90% and 105/120% ETc). All SDI treatments were also more efficient in the first year in the use of water for lint production than was furrow irrigation, but improved irrigation management in the form of faster irrigation and reduction of tail water in the second year obviated the advantage of SDI. Irrigation of cotton with SDI at 75% ETc offered significant benefits in terms of saved irrigation water over wetter SDI treatments, resulted in the highest average WUE for lint production over the two years, and reduced drainage and runoff compared with higher SDI rates and furrow irrigation.

Radiation, water, and nitrogen use efficiencies of Gossypium hirsutum L.

“…Similarly, other researchers (Norton and Silvertooth, 2001;Cetin and Bilgel, 2002;Bhattarai et al, 2003;Khalifa, 2006) found a substantial improvement in water use efficiency due to economizing water under drip irrigation. Various scientists (Robertson , 2006;Singh et al, 2007;Jonghan and Piccinni, 2009;Singh et al, 2010;Wei et al, 2012) also noticed water savings for the drip method of irrigation compared to the furrow method.…”

Effects of subsurface drip irrigation rates and furrow irrigation for cotton grown on a vertisol on off-site movement of sediments, nutrients and pesticides

“…We have shown (Bhattarai et al, 2006) the advantages of subsurface drip over furrow for yield and water use efficiency of cotton in a tropical environment. Subsurface drip can also potentially offer a multitude of other advantages by minimizing the off-site movements of run-off, sediments, pesticides and nutrients (Camp et al, 1999) provided crop, soil and climate specific irrigation rates are applied.…”

Utilizing Subsurface Drip Irrigation and Conservation Tillage in Cotton Production Systems

“…Since agriculture is a major consumer of water for food and fiber production, it becomes critical to use efficient water delivery systems to crops, in addition to utilizing the most drought-tolerant water-efficient crops, cropping systems, tillage practices, and plant genetic materials available in sustainable crop production. Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) is perhaps the most efficient water delivery system to roots of plants, producing crop yields equal to or greater than other irrigation methods and, in many cases, requiring less water and improved water-use efficiencies [3][4][5][6]. In regions where irrigation well capacities are low and in cases where available irrigation water is saline or where shallow water conditions are saline, SDI, compared with surface irrigation systems, offers the greatest potential to increase yields and irrigation water use efficiency [7][8][9][10].…”

“…Darusman et al [19] in Kansas with corn (Zea mays L.) and Bhattarai et al [6] in Australia with cotton also concluded that 100% crop ET replacement was not necessary to optimize plant productivity and water-use efficiency. Overirrigation can lead to oxygen deficiency, excessive runoff following a high rainfall event, and increased internal drainage that can transport nitrates and other nutrients deeper into the soil profile and ground water.…”