Cinquièmes Journées Scientifiques sur la Valorisation des Bioressources

02 - 04 mai 2014, Hôtel FRAMISSIMA Regency****, Monastir, TUNISIE

Optimization of underground depth of irrigation systems for eggplant
with HYDRUS-2D
Accueil Poster N°:133
Douh M’hamdi B., Gazouani H., Belhaj Mguidiche A., Khila Bhouri S.,
Boujelbene A.
Université de Sousse, Institut Supérieur Agronomique de Chott Meriem, département Génie des Systèmes
Horticoles et du Milieu Naturel
INTRODUCTION The van Genuchten model (van Genuchten, 1980) was used to fit
In Tunisia, the rapid increase of irrigated area and agricultural experimental data, with function parameters estimated by SWRC Fit
intensification are contributing to the persistent rising of water (Seki et al., 2007). Saturated hydraulic conductivity was measured
demand and, due to the arid or semi-arid climate and the frequent with a constant head permeameter on the same undisturbed soil
periods of drought, the country needs to face with severe water samples, by following the Darcy assumptions. Water stress function
shortage. Micro-irrigation systems are increasing their popularity in for eggplant was represented by means of Feddes linear model,
the country because of the high water use efficiency. Subsurface drip whose parameters were defined according to Taylor and Ashcroft
irrigation, with laterals installed below the soil surface and in (1972). Rooting system parameters were experimentally determined
proximity of plant roots, represents one of the most advanced micro- on the basis of field observations and in particular of the maximum
irrigation method, used to supply water directly to the roots, while depths, the depth at which root density is maximum and the
preserving a relatively dry soil surface, so to reduce evaporation maximum root horizontal extension. With reference to the SDI
losses. Agro-hydrological models represent an attractive tool to system, simulation domain was assumed 80 cm depth and 40 cm
predict soil water dynamic and to provide guidelines for plant design wide, with a single emitter characterized by a radius of 1.0 cm,
and for optimizing irrigation water use. located to a depth of 25 cm. A time-invariant flux density of 318 cm
The objective of the work is to assess the performance of Hydrus-2D h-1, corresponding to the emitter discharge of 4.0 l h-1, was assumed
model to predict soil water contents in the root zone, under at the emitter boundary surface during irrigation.
traditional and subsurface drip irrigation (DI) systems, for Eggplant RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
crop (Solanum melongena L.). The performance was initially
evaluated on the basis of the comparison between measured and
predicted soil water contents. Then, the model was applied in order DI SDI_5 SDI_15 SDI_20 SDI_45
to analyze the effects of different drip line depths on the terms of
water balance and to choose the best position of the lateral aimed to
optimize water use efficiency.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Experiments were carried out, from April to June 2007, at Institut
Supérieur Agronomique de Chott Mériem (Sousse, Tunisia). Plants
were spaced 0.40 m along the row and 1.2 m between the rows and
irrigated with traditional and subsurface DI, by means of laterals
with 0.40m spaced coextruded emitters, discharging a flow rate
equal to 4.0 l h-1 at 100 Kpa. Spatial and temporal variability of
SWCs were acquired with a Time Domain Reflectometry (TRIME-
FM TDR) on four 80 cm long access tubes, installed along the Fig2. Distribution of SWCs corresponding to different emitter
directions perpendicular to the plant row, at distances of 0, 20, 40 depths, before and after irrigation
and 60 cm from the lateral. For model application, soil evaporation, The value of Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) shows that for both
Ep, and crop transpiration, Tp, were determined according to the the treatments, the model simulates soil water contents, for the
modified FAO Penman-Monteith equation and the dual crop different lateral positions, with errors always lower than 4%. The
coefficient approach (Allen et al., 1998). Soil Water Retention optimal emitter depth was determined by simulating five different
Curves (SWRC) were determined by hanging water column scenarios, with the emitter laid on the soil surface (DI) and buried at
apparatus for matric potentials h ranging from -0.05 to -1.5 m and by 5, 15, 20 and 45 cm depths (SDI_5-SDI_45). For each scenario,
pressure plate apparatus for h values of -3.37 m, -10.2 m, -30.6 m, water use efficiency (WUE), defined as the ratio between actual
and -153.0 m, by using respectively undisturbed soil samples, 0.08 m transpiration and total amount of water provided during the entire
diameter and 0.05 m height collected in the layers 0-20, 30-50 and growing season, was determined. Figure on the left side shows the
60-80 cm and sieved soil samples 0.05 m diameter and 0.01 m distribution of SWC corresponding to the different emitter depths
height. before and after irrigation, whereas on the right side WUE is
indicated for the different scenarios.
As can be observed, WUE is maximum when emitter depth is
between 5 and 20 cm (optimal installation depth). On the other side,
when emitter is laid on the soil surface WUE is limited by soil
evaporation, whereas for the higher depths is affected by the deep
percolation.
Conclusion
Water Use Efficiency significantly increases when the emitter is
buried at depths between 5 and 20 cm, as a consequence of the
reduction of soil evaporation.
Fig. 1 Position of access tubes Installation depths equal to 45 cm or higher increase of deep
for TDR sensor percolation and limit root water uptake.