SCHEDULING SUPPLEMENTARY DRIP IRRIGATION REQUIREMENTS OF DATE PALM TREES IN SOILS SUBJECTED TO CONTRIBUTION FROM GROUND WATER DEPTHS UNDER ELFAYOUM CONDITIONS

El-Shakweer, M. H. A.; Ibrahim,, A. M.

doi:10.21608/fjard.2006.197571

SCHEDULING SUPPLEMENTARY DRIP IRRIGATION REQUIREMENTS OF DATE PALM TREES IN SOILS SUBJECTED TO CONTRIBUTION FROM GROUND WATER DEPTHS UNDER ELFAYOUM CONDITIONS

Document Type : Research articles.

Authors

Soils and Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, 63514-Fayoum, Egypt.

10.21608/fjard.2006.197571

Abstract

Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera, L.) has been focused by
researchers to maximize its production (quantity and quality) and more
specifically to its water management aiming to find the most effective
and economic amounts of water needed for optimum fruit quality.
Three different locations of different soil texture (clay, clay loam
and sandy loam) were chosen at Fayoum Governorate. At each location,
four sites of different ground water table depth (gwtd), i.e. ≈ 40, 80, 120
and 160 cm already grown with date palm trees; were selected for this
study. Within each site 3 date palm trees variety "Balady" aged from 8-
10 years (as replicates) were the task of this study. The selected sites of
the tested soils were analyzed for some soil physical and chemical
properties. The ground water table depth at each site was measured in an
observation well of 10 cm diameter that was dug to 180 cm depth, then,
the weighted averages of (gwtd) were calculated. The actual
evapotranspiration (ETc) of date palm for all the year 2004 under ElFayoum conditions was calculated and the contribution from the tested
(gwtd) of the site (ETc.g) to the date palm consumptive use was
estimated.
Results showed that the maximum value of total yearly
contribution from ground water table to water consumptive use for date
palm (1069.31 mm) was found in the clay soil with the gwtd (≈ 40 cm),
while the minimum value (161.35 mm) was observed in the sandy loam
soil with the gwtd (≈160 cm). Highly significant negative correlations
were indicated between the values of total yearly contribution (ETc-g,
mm) and the values of (gwtd), and, their simple regression equations
showed significant relationships as follows:
For the clay soil : r = - 0.985 and Y1 = 1240.50 - 5.34 X .
For the clay loam soil : r = - 0.989 and Y2 = 1215.00 - 5.75 X .
For the sandy loam soil : r = - 0.972 and Y3 = 1016.30 - 5.70 X .
Where: Y is the ETc-g (mm) and X is the gwtd (cm).
Results showed also that the minimum value of the net
requirement needs (ETn) for date palm (414.67 mm/year) is seen in
clayey soil with the gwtd (≈ 40 cm), while the maximum value
(1322.22 mm/year) was observed in the sandy loam soil with the gwtd
(≈160 cm). Highly significant positive correlations were detected
between the values of the net requirements needs (ETn) and that of
gwtd, meanwhile, their simple regression equations showed significant
relationships as follows:
For the clay soil : r = + 0.965 and Y1 = 249.15 + 5.31 X.
For the clay loam soil : r = + 0.971 and Y2 = 266.76 + 5.79 X.
For the sandy loam soil : r = + 0.945 and Y3 = 467.10 + 5.70 X.
Where: Y is the ETn (mm/year) and X is the gwtd (cm).
The net requirement needs values (ETn) were considered as the
net supplementary drip irrigation requirements (NSDIR) and
calculated in m3/feddan/year for date palm trees. Consequently,
scheduling the monthly NSDIR as liter/tree/day through all months of
the year, as well as, the needed number of drippers were presented for
the application in the studied soils and ground water table depths
under Fayoum Governorate conditions.

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