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Effect of Irrigation Regimes under Different Doses of Organic Manure on Maize Crop in ISAE Farm at Rubirizi, Rwanda
Abstract
Crop cultivation suffers with poor yield and land productivity due to soil moisture stress and insufficient rain during dry season particularly in eastern parts of Rwanda. Rainwater interception, soil moisture conservation and supplemental irrigation using ground water can be integrated to combat crop water stress thereby increase land productivity. The study explores the best technical option to resolve the constraints related to water management in maize cultivation on hill land.
Studies on irrigation regimes conducted with long duration variety maize from October 2008 to February 2009 showed that average dry grain production of 5.4 MT/ha, 4.9 MT/ha and 3.7 MT/ha were recorded in check basin irrigation, one drip irrigation lateral for each plant row and one drip lateral for two rows respectively when supplied with supplemental irrigation once in two days. It is observed that 61 percent of crop water demand was met by direct rain water and 39 percent was to be served by ground water through supplemental irrigation. Highest irrigation water use efficiency of 19.97 kg/m3 was obtained in one drip lateral per row and 74.4 percent irrigation water can be saved for 14.3 percent yield reduction compared to check basin irrigation of 5 mm once in two days. Under water scarce conditions, it is recommended to use drip irrigation with one lateral per row and apply 3.4 mm water once in six days from flowering stage of crop under organic manure dose of 15MT per hectare to achieve maximum water use efficiency by practicing deficit irrigation. Supplemental irrigation is inevitable to ensure maximum crop yield from hill land Agriculture in Eastern part of Rwanda.
Studies on irrigation regimes conducted with long duration variety maize from October 2008 to February 2009 showed that average dry grain production of 5.4 MT/ha, 4.9 MT/ha and 3.7 MT/ha were recorded in check basin irrigation, one drip irrigation lateral for each plant row and one drip lateral for two rows respectively when supplied with supplemental irrigation once in two days. It is observed that 61 percent of crop water demand was met by direct rain water and 39 percent was to be served by ground water through supplemental irrigation. Highest irrigation water use efficiency of 19.97 kg/m3 was obtained in one drip lateral per row and 74.4 percent irrigation water can be saved for 14.3 percent yield reduction compared to check basin irrigation of 5 mm once in two days. Under water scarce conditions, it is recommended to use drip irrigation with one lateral per row and apply 3.4 mm water once in six days from flowering stage of crop under organic manure dose of 15MT per hectare to achieve maximum water use efficiency by practicing deficit irrigation. Supplemental irrigation is inevitable to ensure maximum crop yield from hill land Agriculture in Eastern part of Rwanda.
Keywords
irrigation regime, drip irrigation, Organic manure, water use efficiency