Potential of low-cost subsurface irrigation system in maize (Zea mays L.) production in high water scarcity regions

Abstract

Improvement of agricultural practices under limited water availability is a key solution for arid and semi-arid areas food shortage problems. Pressurized irrigation technologies have made great improvements in the field water use efficiencies; however, the construction cost of these systems was usually beyond the dry land small-farmer means. Low-cost porous material was used for maize water supply under a typical dry environment. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the influence of subsurface irrigation systems made of locally produced clay pots and clay pipes on the growth, yield and water use efficiency of maize (Zea mays L.) in the dry land of Sudan. Clay pots release point source water to the surrounding soil as emitters, whereas clay pipes are envisaged as subsurface buried porous tubing. The maize yield obtained from plots having subsurface clay pipes irrigation system was higher (30%) than the maize grown under the surface irrigation system. The experiments proved that the clay pipe and pitcher irrigation method is water-saving technology, which optimizes yields per unit of water used when compared to the surface irrigation method. Also, the clay pipes and pitchers are conservation irrigation systems, which save about 96.58% and 95.46% of the water used for irrigation, respectively, when compared to the surface irr