Using Raised Bed and Irrigation cut-off for Saving Irrigation Water and Increasing Wheat Productivity in North Nile Delta

Abstract

In Egypt, surface irrigation and irrigation till the tail end of the furrows or borders are commonly used with wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and other crops, but they lead to poor aeration and ineffective use of water and fertilizers. Therefore, raised beds planting method and cutoff irrigation improve wheat productivity and raise water and fertilizer use efficiencies. A field experiment was carried out in two winter growing seasons (2017/18 and 2018/19) at Sakha Agricultural Research Station Farm, Kafr EL-sheikh Governorate. The objective was to evaluate the impact of raised bed and irrigation cutoff on growth and yield of wheat (Misr-1 variety), some water relations and the contribution of ground water table on water consumption. A split plot design was used with three replicates. The main plots were occupied by raised bed treatments: farmer's conventional flat planting method (F1), furrow 60 cm width (F2) and furrow 120 cm width (F3). The sub plots were devoted to irrigation cutoff treatments: cutoff at 100% of strip length, C100% (control), cutoff at 90% of strip length (C90%) and cutoff at 80% of strip length (C80%). The results revealed that C90% combined with F3 achieved the lowest values of seasonal applied water and water consumptive use and the highest values of water productivity (9.69 L.E m-3), water application efficiency (Ea) and grain and straw yields. On the other hand, C80% recorded the highest contribution value of ground water table (CGWT) of water consumption (21.4%), leading to increase of water saving. (with 34.05% increase)