Agrotechnology

Abstract

Effect of Different Irrigation Regimes on Yield and Crop Water Productivity of Onion in Gobu Sayo and Bako Tibe Districts, Western Oromia

Adisu Tadese*

Onions play an important role in human nutritional needs and have medicinal properties and are mainly used because of their unique taste or ability to enhance the taste of other foods. Despite its importance in the human diet and its increasing area coverage, the productivity of onion in the country is much lower than of other African countries with an average value of 10.1 t ha^-1. Moreover, quality and yield of particular onion variety greatly affected by amount and method of irrigation water applied during dry season. The field experiment was conducted at farmers’ field in Gobu Sayo District of East Welega Zone and Bako Tibe District of West Shewa zone. The experiment was consisted five levels of soil moisture depletion percentage- 50%, 60%, 70%, 80% and 100%. Generally this study focuses on effect of different water depletion level on yield, water productivity and seasonal water production function of onion crop under furrow irrigation. The result from the variance analysis showed that the marketable yield of the onion was significantly affected by soil moisture deletion level at both sites. The highest marketable yield of 17623.7 kg/ha and 19097 kg/ha were obtained from D3 (70% soil moisture Depletion level) treatment at Gobu Say and Bako Tibe sites respectively. The lowest marketable bulb yield of onion 14383.3 kg/ha and 15442 kg/ha were recorded from the treatment of 50% FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) recommended ASMDL (Agricultural Soil Moisture Depletion Level) at Gobu Sayo and Bako Tibe sites respectively. The highest water productivity values 14.6 kg/m³ and 16.7 kg/m³ were obtained from D3 (70% soil moisture Depletion level) at Gobu Sayo and Bako Tibe sites respectively. However, the lowest water productivity values 7.5 kg/m³ and 8.5 kg/m³ were obtained from D1 (50% soil moisture Depletion level) at Gobu Sayo and Bako Tibe sites respectively. Therefore, result of this study suggest that irrigating at 70% soil moisture depletion level can increase yield and water productivity by saving irrigation water for onion production in the study area and similar agroecology.

Published Date: 2023-12-04; Received Date: 2023-11-02