Alternative Furrow Irrigation to Rationalize of Irrigation Water for Maize in North Nile Delta Soils

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted at the Sakha Agric. Res. Station Farm, Kafr El-Sheikh Gov., North Nile Delta to assess the influence of the alternate furrow irrigation on water conservation and maize productivity during two consecutive summer seasons (2019 and 2020). The location is located at 31 0 -07' N Latitude, 30 0 -57'E Longitude, with an elevation of around 6 m above mean sea level. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four repetitions was used to cultivate maize (Giza 310). Irrigation was applied to furrows in three ways: a) watering every furrows (traditional irrigation) with 15-day interval (EFI 15 ), b) alternate irrigation (watering every other furrows) 10-day interval (A1/1E 10 ), and c) alternative irrigation one by one fixed (A1/1C 10 ). During the growing season, one furrow is irrigated while the other is left unwater next door. The following is a summary of the findings: 1-The highest maize yield (3945.55 kg fed -1 ) was obtained with A1/1E 10 treatment, while the lowest yield (3703.5 kg fed -1 ) was recorded with the EFI 15 system. 2-A1/1E 10 was the best irrigation treatment since it achieved the highest grain yield and saved irrigation water by about 19.8% (663.5 m 3 ) compared to the traditional irrigation treatment (EFI 15 ). 3- Alternate irrigation (A1/1E 10 ) recorded the highest values of oil and protein % in grain and increased the benefit-cost ratio (BCR), and net return (NR) as compared with other irrigation regimes. 4-In addition, A1/1C 10 treatment achieved the highest water productivity (1.92 kg/m 3 ).