Rationalization of Irrigation Water in Agricultural Sector Through Integrated Water Management and Community Participation

Abstract

regime at 1.2 ETc and deficit irrigation at 0.70 ETc, the reductions in water applied for wheat and berseem crops reached 6.90 and 39.85% and 5.77 and 26.69%, respectively, comparable with the farmer practice. Similar trend was noticed with maize crop where the reductions in water applied, due to irrigating at 1.2 and .075 ETc, ranged from 5.89 to 25.54%, compared with farmer practice. In 2007/2008 season full and deficit irrigation(0.70 ETc) regimes slightly reduced wheat grain yield by 0.83 and 2.65%, whereas in 2008/2009 season, full and deficit irrigation (0.70 ETc) regimes increased wheat grain yield by 6.78 and 1.95%, respectively, in comparison with farmer practice. In 2008 season, maize yield was reduced by 8.01 and 12.49% due to full and deficit (0.75 full irrigation) irrigation regimes, respectively, as compared with farmer practice. In 2009 season, the trend was differed where full irrigation exhibited higher maize grain yield value (7.34%) and deficit irrigation still reducing the maize grain yield by 28.85%, in comparison with farmer practice.