Contribution of Groundwater to Wheat-Water Needs as Affected with Irrigation Scheduling in North Nile Delta

Abstract

Contribution of groundwater and the utilization of applied water are an effective ways in connection with water saving and increasing crop water productivity. A field experiment was conducted at Sakha Experimental Farm, Kafr ElSheikh Governorate, North Nile Delta area, Egypt during the two successive growing seasons of 2016/17 and 2017/18 to investigate the effect of irrigation scheduling i.e. irrigation amount and irrigation interval on wheat growth (cv. Sakha 93), yield, its components and cropwater relations. Split-plot design was used, the main plots were assigned to three levels of irrigation intervals; two, three and four weeks, while the sub-plots were three levels of irrigation; irrigation to field capacity + 10%, irrigation to field capacity and irrigation to field capacity -10%. The obtained results revealed that the highest values of growth traits and the highest yield of wheat were obtained when plants were irrigated till field capacity -10%. The highest values of both applied and consumed water were recorded under the same treatment, but it produced the lowest values of water efficiencies. It is recommended that irrigation every four weeks till field capacity -10% resulted in an average contribution of groundwater of 30.52% in the North Middle Nile Delta, Egypt.