Design, Performance Evaluation And Determination Of Optimum Irrigation Levels For Teff (Eragrostis Tef L.) Under Dragline Sprinkler Irrigation System In North Dodota

Abstract

The economic basis and food source of fast growing Ethiopia's population is rain fed agriculture.But, the rainfall is unreliable, scanty and no enough water for most farmers to produce morethan one crop per year and hence food insecurity and poverty are observed in the country due tolow agricultural production and water productivity which necessitates the development ofirrigated cereal food production. Among the cereal food crops, teff is the most well-known andwidely consumed grain in Ethiopia and produced once in a year by rain fed agriculture and the21supply is by far less than the demand. In this study, dragline sprinkler irrigation system wasdesigned, installed at Dodota Farm Land and the sprinkler system performance was evaluatedby determining key performance parameters (Christiansen?�?s uniformity coefficient, distributionuniformity of the lower quarter and application efficiency). And also, a field experiments wasconducted and irrigation level that maximized grain and straw yield, crop water and economicwater productivity were determined. For the purpose, four varying irrigation water applicationlevels were used as irrigation treatments in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) withthree replications. The varying irrigation levels were: irrigating at 100% ETo (T1)), 85% ETo(T2)), 70% ETo (T3), and irrigating at 55% ETo (T4). Accordingly, the average Christiansen?�?suniformity coefficient (CU) values ranged from 82.3% for afternoon test time to 87.8% formorning test time and the average distribution uniformity of lower quarter (DUlq) values rangedfrom 76.5% for afternoon test time to 80.71 % for morning test time. A maximum teff grain yieldof 3084.2Kg/ha was obtained when teff was irrigated at 70% ETo (T3) which was equal to 382mm of applied depth of irrigation water. And also, the higher total income 72971.5Birr/ha for(3084.2 Kg/ha grain plus 6450 Kg/ha straw yield) of teff was obtained in 70% ETo(T3),irrigation water application level. But, there was no significant variation in total incomebetween T2, T3 and also there was no significant variation observ