SW—Soil and Water: Optimal Scheduling of a Micro-irrigation System under Deficit Irrigation

✍ Scribed by J. Barragan; I.P. Wu

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2001
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 385 KB
• Volume: 80
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8634
• DOI: 10.1006/jaer.2001.0728

✦ Synopsis

The time schedule of micro-irrigation for a given irrigation interval can be expressed by an irrigation scheduling parameter which is de"ned as the ratio of the amount required and the amount applied. Di!erent values of the scheduling parameter can provide over-irrigation as well as de"cit irrigation in di!erent areas of the "eld. A well-designed micro-irrigation system cannot reach its full potential and the goal of irrigation if the decision on irrigation scheduling is not properly taken. An economic analysis was carried out on the basis of the linear models of irrigation water distribution and crop response to de"cit irrigation for all values of the scheduling parameter. An optimal irrigation schedule was determined to achieve an optimal return. A case study was presented to compare the optimal irrigation schedule with the conventional irrigation schedule in which the whole "eld is irrigated to the required amount. The optimum irrigation schedule can achieve optimum returns and also save water at the same time.