Evaluating Supplementary Water Methodology with Saturated Soil Irrigation for Yield and Water Productivity Improvement in Semi-Arid Rainfed Rice System, Burkina Faso

Abstract

Saturated soil irrigation (SSI) has been reported as a great technique that increases water productivity in fully irrigated rice cultivation. However, this technique should be employed in a dry prone area where rainfalls fail to fulfill rice water requirements and fill up reservoirs for sufficient irrigation. Therefore, an experiment was conducted to identify the most effective complementary irrigation that restores soil moisture to saturation and increases water productivity with fewer yield expenses. The study used a complete randomized blocks design with four replications and four soil saturation treatments: Sat200% (farmer practice), Sat160%, Sat120%, and Sat80%. In Sat160%, Sat120%, and Sat80% irrigation was applied once a week in the absence of rainfall. In Sat200%, water was daily applied except the day of rain. The results showed that reductions in soil saturation decreased plant height, tillers, and leaves number by 10%, 18%, and 14%, respectively. Yield and components were reduced between 26.09% and 4.8%. Weekly soil saturation at 120% exhibited greater irrigation productivity (0.69 kg/m3), rainwater productivity (1.02 kg/m3), and water-saving (90.53%) with less production penalty (5 × 10−3 kg/m3). We advocate that saturated soil irrigation should be recommended in the rainfed rice system as a drought mitigation measure in semi-arid conditions.

Revolutionizing Rice Farming: Maximizing Yield with Minimal Water to Sustain the Hungry Planet

“…Compared to traditional farmer practice, the use of saturation soil irrigation resulted in a reduction of 10, 18, and 14% in plant height, tillers, and leaves number, Revolutionizing Rice Farming: Maximizing Yield with Minimal Water to Sustain the Hungry… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.112167 respectively. However, when soil was saturated weekly at 120%, it showed higher irrigation productivity (0.69 kg/m 3 ), rainwater productivity (1.02 kg/m 3 ), and water-saving (90.53%) with minimal yield reduction (5 × 10 −3 kg/m 3 ) [27]. Yanti et al conducted a study to investigate the impact of water availability on the growth of local rice varieties.…”

Maximizing Water Use Efficiency in Rice Farming: A Comprehensive Review of Innovative Irrigation Management Technologies

“…For growers in semi-arid tropical areas, SSC provides a practical substitute for flooded rice production [83]. Weekly irrigation at 120% soil saturation exhibited greater irrigation water productivity (0.69 kg/m 3 ), rainwater productivity (1.02 kg/m 3 ), and water-saving (90.53%), with less production penalty (5 × 10 −3 kg/m 3 ) compared to irrigation at 200% soil saturation (farmer practice) [84]. SSC facilitates maximum utilization of rainfall, thereby increasing the effective rainfall percentage during the crop season.…”

The Effect of Irrigation Techniques on Sustainable Water Management for Rice Cultivation System - A Review

“…It is important to consider potential stresses and physiological characteristics, such as carbohydrate translocation from stems and phosphate translocation from leaves, when implementing SSI. Some non-flooding irrigation systems have shown significant reductions in vegetative growth, carbohydrate allocation, yield, and yield components [32,53]. Rice growth is negatively affected by moisture stress, leading to reduced grain yield.…”