Application of irrigation techniques to improve water use efficiency in shallots (Allium ascalonicum L.) in dryland

Abstract

Insufficient water resources pose a significant challenge to the development of drylands in Indonesia for cultivating crops like shallots (Allium ascalonicum L.). Water scarcity in dryland is attributed to limited water flow within the drainage network that occurs solely during rainfall, making it unsuitable for agricultural cultivation during the dry season. The feasibility of shallot farming in the dry season is maintained through the optimized use of groundwater resources. The implementation of this initiative will be more effective when integrated with water-saving irrigation technologies. The study aims on optimizing groundwater resources utilization and integrate appropriate water-saving irrigation techniques to increase water use efficiency and enhance shallot production in dryland areas. The study examined the effects of various irrigation techniques using field experiments with a split-plot design. The experiment examined plant spacing as the main variable, with alternative irrigation techniques functioning as the sub-variables. Results indicated that water-saving methods significantly boosted water use efficiency (WUE) in shallot production. In comparison to conventional methods, the implementation of three irrigation types resulted in an increase in WUE by 2.08 kg/m³ to 7.16 kg/m³ and enhanced productivity by 2.6–3.3 tons/hectare. The Laser Spray irrigation technique demonstrated superior outcome, achieving a water efficiency of 12.85–13.34 kg/m³ and improved efficiency by 7.16 to 6.69 kg/m³ relative to manual methods. The selection of irrigation techniques and the optimal plant spacing can increase WUE and substantially boost shallot yield in dryland agriculture.