INTELLIGENT IRRIGATION IN VEGETABLE CROP (TOMATO): NOVEL APPROACH FOR WATER RESOURCE USE OPTIMIZATION

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Agric. Eng. Res. Inst., (AEnRI). King Saud University.

2 Agric. Eng. Res. Inst., (AEnRI).

3 King Saud University.

4 Agric. Eng. Res. Inst., (AEnRI)

Abstract

Field experiments have been conducted in King Saud University, Riyadh- Saudi Arabia to study the weather-based irrigation controllers (WBICs) affecting agronomical characteristics and water use of irrigated. The assessed WBICs technologies were Weathermatic SL1600 and Hunter pro C controllers under subsurface drip irrigation system. The study investigated the effect of these technologies and its suitability for agricultural applications. The main results in this study can be summarized as the WBICs had significantly affected the tomato yield, water use efficiency and water savings. The WBICs could save irrigation water by 32.4 % and increased water use efficiency  greatly up to 50.8 %, while maintaining competing yield as compared to a time-based irrigation schedules (control). Furthermore, the agronomical characteristics (vegetative growth, fruit quality and fruit yield traits) confirmed the priority of the WBICs when they compared with various time-based irrigation schedules. 

Keywords