Irrigation Management for Non-Monsoon Crops In a Major Canal Command in Eastern India under Water Limiting Environment

Abstract

Acute irrigation water deficit during the non-monsoon (rabi) season in the Hirakud canal command in Eastern India demands efficient irrigation management strategies (IMSs) to sustain the irrigated agriculture. The study was undertaken to analyse the impact of different IMSs – namely full and deficit irrigation, on water use efficiency of different rabi crops and evolve the most efficient IMSs. Various water balance parameters were estimated on daily basis and stage wise crop production function was applied to compute the actual crop yields of five major rabi crops. The best IMSs for wheat, maize, rice, green gram and mustard were found to be 30% deficit irrigation at 14 days interval, 30% deficit irrigation at 7 days interval, 20% deficit irrigation at 4 days interval, 60 mm of irrigation per application at 21 days interval, and 20% deficit irrigation at 7 days interval, respectively. Realizing the scarce water resources and ever rising population, it is highly essential to implement the generated IMSs with a view to bring more area under cultivation and enhance the production potential of the command area.

Izražen nedostatak vode u ne-monsunskom periodu (rabi) u oblasti Hirakud kanala i istočnoj Indiji zahteva efikasne strategije upravljanja navodnjavanjem (IMSs). Ovo istraživanje je sprovedeno radi analize uticaja različitih IMS – punog i defcictarnog navodnjavanja i različitih rabi useva na efikasnost upotrebe vode i razvoja najefikasnije IMS. Različiti parametri bilansa vode su ocenjivani na dnevnoj bazi i izračunati su stvarni prinosi za pet glavnih rabi useva. Najbolje IMS za pšenicu, kukuruz, pirinač, zlatni pasulj i slačica imale su 30% deficita navodnjavanja u periodima od 14 dana, 30% deficita navodnjavanja u periodima od 7 dana, 20% deficita navodnjavanja u periodima od 4 dana, 60 mm vode po aplikaciji i u periodima od 21 dan i 20% deficita navodnjavanja u periodima od 7 dana, redom. Imajući u vidu siromašne izvore vode i stalno rastuću populaciju, veoma je neophodno primeniti ove strategije sa ciljem dobijanja veće obradive površine i unapređenja proizvodnog potencijala ove oblasti.