Performance evaluation of alternate wetting and drying irrigation for rice cultivation

Abstract

An experiment was conducted during the 2009-2010 Boro season at the Shahjalal Science and Technology University campus, Sylhet, Bangladesh, to investigate the impact of alternate wetting and drying irrigation (AWDI) on rice production. Using a randomized complete block design (RCBD), four irrigation treatments were applied to a modern variety (MV) of rice (BRRIdhan 28). One control treatment, T0, maintained a continuous standing water depth of 1-5 cm. Water was irrigated to three AWD treatments, T1, T2, and T3 when the water level dropped 10, 20, and 30 cm below ground level, respectively. In spite of the fact that treatment T0 produced the highest grain yield (4.90 t/ha), its water use efficiency was 38.64 kg/ha/cm. Compared to treatment T1, which produced 4.68 t/ha, treatment T1 had a water use efficiency of 41.86 kg/ha/cm. Treatments T2 and T3 yielded 3.96 t/ha and 3.63 t/ha, respectively. When water levels fall below 10 cm below ground level, treatment T1 may be the best option for rice cultivation in conditions of limited water availability.