Eshetu Mekonnen*, Habtamu Bedane and Gudeta Genemo
Sustainable irrigation method is now essential for adaptation and adoption in the areas where water resources are limited. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to test the combined effect of alternate wetting and drying furrow irrigation, conventional irrigation method and mulches on crop growth, yield and water use efficiency of tomato. The treatments of the experimental area comprised of two irrigation method (conventional and alternate furrow irrigation method) and three mulches (maize, soybean and wheat straw). The yield and yield-component characters in the mulched treatments for two of furrow irrigation method were significantly higher compared to those in the unmulched (bare soil) treatments. The yields of tomato were higher in conventional furrow irrigation method than alternate furrow irrigation method. The highest yield (82267 kg/ha for maize straw, 88004.5 kg/ha for soybean straw and 87074 kg/ha for wheat straw) was obtained at conventional furrow irrigation method. Soybean and wheat straw mulched treatment produced higher yield than the maize straw-mulched treatment. The highest water use efficiency of 16.221A kg/ha/m^3 15.978 kg/ha/m^3 was obtained with alternate furrow irrigation method under soybean and wheat straw mulch respectively. The study thus reveals that alternate furrow irrigation method with mulch has an explicit role in increasing the water use efficiency of tomato.
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Irrigation & Drainage Systems Engineering received 835 citations as per Google Scholar report
