WHEAT PRODUCTION IN THE ARID REGIONS BY USING DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Efficiency of irrigation method and application of organic amendments are concepts should be followed in Egypt for saving part of the irrigation water due to the limited water resources. Two field experiments were conducted at the Research and Production Station, National Research Centre, El-Nubaria Province, El-Behira Governorate, Egypt, during the two successive winter seasons of 2009/2010 and 2010/2011, to study the effect of different irrigation systems and application of compost on yield, yield attributes and irrigation water use efficiency of wheat under newly reclaimed sandy soil conditions. Studied factors were irrigation systems (drip irrigation with 15, 25, 35, 45, 55, 65 and 75 cm laterals spacing compared with sprinkler irrigation system) and application of compost (without application (control) and the recommended dose (47.62 m3 ha-1)). The following parameters were studied (1) soil moisture distribution, (2) yield and yield attributes of wheat, (3) irrigation water use efficiency of wheat (IWUE), (4) economical analysis. Results indicated that the maximum values were detected at drip irrigation with 15 cm laterals spacing with application the recommended dose of compost. However, no significant difference was observed between 15, 25 and 35 cm laterals spacing under application of the recommended dose from compost, this means that it can be choose 35 cm laterals spacing to reduce the costs and also it can be save 10% from irrigation water. Under these conditions (35 cm laterals spacing with applying the recommended dose from compost), it can be cultivate the intensive crops by using drip irrigation system.