Effect of Optimal Irrigation Scheduling on Yield and Water Productivity of Haricot Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) at Melkassa, Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Abstract

Water is one of the most critical inputs for obtaining maximum production of crops. Each crop has its own water requirement and maintains its own tolerance limits within which the moisture variations don’t affect crop yields. Therefore, the moisture availability in the root zone of the crop could be maintained within the crop tolerance limits by adopting proper water management practices and improve water productivity in irrigated agriculture. Hence, the objective of this study was to determine the optimal soil moisture depletion level for improving production and water productivity of irrigated haricot bean (Awash Melka). Field experiment was conducted at Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia during growing season 2016 and 2017 with furrow irrigation system and five irrigation treatments replicated three times in a randomized complete block design. Irrigation treatments: 60%, 80%, 100% (when 45% of total water available was depleted), 120% and 140% ASMDL. Obtained results revealed that, the average seasonal water requirements value of 450-480 mm depth. The result revealed that there was no significant (p>0.05) difference in grain yield and water productivity among treatments. Therefore, as much as the total water applied is the same it is better to use higher depletion level for irrigation scheduling to have a wider irrigation interval for better agronomic management.

Keywords: Allowable soil moisture depletion, Awash Melka, Grain Yield, Haricot Bean, Irrigation Schedule, Water Productivity

DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/13-5-01

Publication date:March 31^st 2022