The sub-surface irrigation system allows to save more than 30% of irrigation water for forage crops (no evaporation from the soil surface ) and increase the production by 25% in comparison with surface irrigation with no pathogen contaminations.
The system has been tested and assessed by the National Agricultural Research Center in Ar-Ramtha (Irbid), Jordan in the framework of the internation project "Non-conventionAl WAter Reuse in Agriculture in MEditerranean Countries" (MENAWARA).
The sub-surface irrigation system consists of a network of polyethylene pipes located just (20-25 cm for alfalfa crops) under the ground's surface to apply disinfected effluent in the root zone of plants.The source of irrigation water was the domestic treated wastewater effluent from Ramtha Secondary Wastewater Treatment Plant (RWTP). The treated wastewater connected to the experimental site via the main polyethylene irrigation line (75mm) and was filtered through sand and disc filters after reaching the experimental site and before being used.
The test concluded that subsurface irrigation might be adapted as an efficient irrigation method under the above condition. Results also pointed to a high risk of pathogens using sprinkler and surface irrigation methods. Alfalfa productivity was among the lowest using sprinkler irrigation. Then farmers might be switching to sprinkler use considering only the easiest management practices, mainly forage harvesting.
Using sub-surface irrigation will reduce the cost and efforts for removing and reinstalling the drip irrigation network before and after crop harvesting for alfalfa crops, also the farmers can do all agricultural practices during irrigation.
Field applicationThe sub-surface irrigation system can be used for forages, vegetable crops, and trees with different water quality
Beneficiaries1- Farmers
2- Irrigation water managers
3- Private sector( irrigation water companies)
4- Water user associations
5- Extension agents
Preliminary knowledge required (if any)
1. Water quality and quantity
3. Crop type, planting spacing
5. soil depth, slope, infiltration rate, and texture
References/online resources
https://www.menawara.eu/course/view.php?id=20
1. Almarshadi, M. H., & Ismail, S. M. (2011). Effects of precision irrigation on productivity and water use efficiency of alfalfa under different irrigation methods in arid climates. Journal of Applied Sciences Research, 7(3), 299-308.
2. Ibrahim, M. N. (2019). Effluent quality assessment of selected wastewater treatment plant in Jordan for irrigation purposes: water quality index approach. Journal of Ecological Engineering, 20(10).
3. Nafchi, R. A. (2017). Evaluation of wastewater quality compared to well water in irrigation. Open Journal of Ecology, 7(4), 271-278.
4. Rawashdeh, R. N., Abu-Awwad, A. M., & Tabbaa, M. J. (2021). Impact of Treated Wastewater on Soil and Crops Irrigated Using Drip and Sprinkler Systems. Jordan Journal of Agricultural Sciences 17(2).
5. Yang, H., An, F., Yang, F., & Wang, Z. (2019). The impact of irrigation on yield of alfalfa and soil chemical properties of saline-sodic soils. PeerJ, 7, e7148.
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