Evaluating water application efficiencies of surface irrigation methods at farmer's field

Abstract

Study regarding water application efficiencies of surface irrigation methods was conducted in the command area of Nara Canal Area Water Board Command. In-situ, water application efficiencies were measured for Border and Furrow irrigation methods. Necessary data regarding moisture content, field capacity, discharge released and time were recorded for three to four irrigations to different Rabi and Kharif crops. Seed bed was prepared for border irrigation method through tractor, and furrows were made manually after levelling. Water applied was measured with cutthroat flume. The results revealed that the average water application efficiency under border irrigation method during first, second, third and fourth irrigation was 68%, 67%, 68% and 70%, respectively, which yielded the grand average value of all 4 irrigations as 67%. Whereas, in Furrow irrigation method, the average water application efficiency in first, second and third irrigation was 75%, 74% and 74.5%, respectively, which yielded the grand average value of all 3 irrigations as 74%. The comparison shows that there is considerable difference between the water application efficiencies in Border and Furrow irrigation methods (P<0.05). The analysis of variation in water application efficiencies during number of irrigations in both irrigation methods shows no clear trend of increasing or decreasing the water application efficiencies; however on average basis the water application efficiency of furrow irrigation method is 7% higher than border irrigation method. The values of water application efficiencies decrease as depth of application increases. This trend is almost similar in Boarder as well as in Furrow irrigation systems. There is very less variation in the values of each depth of application. The coefficient of variation (CV) value is less than 0.07, which shows consistency in the water storage throughout root zone in soil profile.