Impact of reduced tillage on water use efficiency and tuber yield components of two variation potatoes under sprinkler irrigation in Jazeera Al-karma region/Al-Anbar Governate

Citation :- Impact of reduced tillage on water use efficiency and tuber yield components of two variation potatoes under sprinkler irrigation in Jazeera Al-karma region/Al-Anbar Governate ​. Res. Crop. 26: 312-318
MOHAMMED HASSAN SABRI BAHIA, ALAA SALIH ATI, SHATHA SALIM MAJEED, GALWAH TALAL SAMI, AMIR TAHA KUDEIR AND KUSAY A. WHEIB alaa.salih@coagri.uobaghdad.edu.iq
Address : College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
Submitted Date : 31-05-2025
Accepted Date : 14-06-2025

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of two reduced tillage implements (Disc Harrow and Spring Tooth Harrow) on the productivity and water use efficiency of two potato cultivars (Synergy and Burren) under center pivot irrigation in coarse-textured desert soils, during the autumn season of 2024. The field experiment followed a factorial design (2 × 2 × 4), and measurements included seasonal crop water consumption, irrigation water depth, yield, and Field Water Use Efficiency (WUEf). Results revealed significant differences in tuber yield and water productivity between treatments. The Burren cultivar under Disc Harrow recorded highest yield (80 Mg/ha) and highest WUEf (11.7 kg/m3), whereas Synergy under Spring tooth Harrow showed lower yield and water efficiency Seasonal water consumption varied with the cultivar and growth duration and was 778 mm for Burren and 661 mm for Synergy. Reduced tillage integrated with accurate scheduling of irrigation improved available soil moisture at field capacity and subsequently improved plant growth and nutrient uptake. This study emphasizes the need for tillage practice to match soil texture and crop species for efficient use of applied irrigation and to maximize crop productivity. Results also give the first local values of seasonal crop water requirements for the Synergy and Burren cultivars under center pivot irrigation in Iraq and hence for similar soils to aid better agriculture in arid regions.

Keywords

Center pivot irrigation potato reduced tillage water productivity 


References

Allen, R. G., Pereira, L. S., Raes, D. and Smith, M. (1998). Crop evapotranspiration-Guidelines for computing crop water requirements-FAO Irrigation and drainage paper 56. FAO, Rome, No. 300. pp. 26-188.
Al-Rawi, M. A. M. and Bahia, M. H. S. (2024). The effect of conservation agriculture on some soil water properties using a dual automatic soil infiltro-moisture meter device. In IOP Conf. Series: Earth Environ. Sci. 8.
Ati, A. S., Dawod, S. S. and AL-Halfi, K. M. M. (2025a). Sustainability of the water requirement of two cultivars of okra under the use of cover crops and minimum tillage system. Iraqi J. Agric. Sci. 56: 161-68.
Ati, A. S., Wahaib, H. A., Saleh, H. S. and Majeed, S. S. (2025b). Sustainability of water productivity and quality of potato as affected by saline water irrigation and mineral fertilization under surface drip system. IOP Conf. Series: Earth Environ. Sci. 1. 1487.
Ayada, A. D., Majeed, S. S. and Ati, A. S. (2024). Impact of future climate change on land and water productivity for wheat crop (Wasit Governorate, Iraq). Caspian J. Environ. Sci22: 31-41.
Black, G. A. (1965). Methods of soil analysis, Part 1 and 2. American Society of Agronomy. Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.A.
Center Pivot Irrigation Scheduling Guideline (2000). Iraqi Ministry of Agriculture. Republic of Iraq.
Dawod, S. S., Ati, A. S. and Abdu Jabbar, I. A. (2024). Management of using saline irrigation water and tillage systems on the soil mechanical and hydraulic properties. Iraqi J.  Agric. Sci. 6: 2050–59.
Dowad, S. S. and Jasim, A. A. (2023). Evaluation of the performance of locally developed combine equipment used for several agricultural operations at once. Diyala Agric. Sci. J15: 93-103.
Jabbar, A. S. and Ati, A. S. (2025). Determining the water requirement of groundnut under different irrigation systems and irrigation intervals. Iraqi J. Agric. Sci. 56: 923-34.
Jena, P. R. (2019). Can minimum tillage enhance productivity? Evidence from smallholder farmers in Kenya. J. Cleaner Prod. 218: 465-75.
Kassam, A., Friedrich, T., Derpsch, R. and Kienzle, J. (2015). Overview of the worldwide spread of conservation agriculture. Field Crops Res. 183: 56-68.
Li, F., Deng, H., Wang, Y., Li, X., Chen, X., Liu, L. and Zhang, H. (2021). Potato growth, photosynthesis, yield, and quality response to regulated deficit drip irrigation under film mulching in a cold and arid environment. Sci. Rep. 11: doi:10.1038/s41598-021-95340-9.
Li, Y., Hui, X., Yan, H. and Chen, D. (2020). Effects of travel speed and collector on evaluation of the water application uniformity of a center pivot irrigation system. Water 12: doi:10.3390/w12071916.
Ouazaa, S., Latorre, B., Burguete, J., Serreta, A., Playán, E., Salvador, R., Paniagua, P. and Zapata, N. (2015). Effect of the start–stop cycle of center-pivot towers on irrigation performance: Experiments and simulations. Agric. Water Manag147: 163-74. doi:10. 1016/j.agwat.2014.05.013.
Pittelkow, C. M., Linquist, B. A., Lundy, M. E., Liang, X., van Groenigen, K. J., Lee, J. and van Kessel, C. (2015). "When does no-till yield more? A global meta-analysis." Field Crops Res. 183: 156-68.
Ryma, L., Zekari, M., Smain, E., Yasmine, B., Abdelwahab, B., Abdelfetah, C., Khadidja, K., Hamid, K., Hamani, T., Ryma, Taibi Sabrina and Amine, F. M.  (2023). Effect of tillage practices on durum wheat (Triticum durum) productivity under semi-arid climatic conditions. Farm. Manage. 8: 14-20.
Shevyakhova, E. A.,   Seminchenko, E. V. and Belya-Kov, A. M. (2022). Role of the basic soil tillage in the culture of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the dry steppe zone of the Lower Volga region of Russia. Res. Crop. 23: 516-21.
Tolessa, E. S. (2019). A review on water and nitrogen use efficiency of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) in relation to its yield and yield components. Arch. Agric. Environ. Sci. 4: 119-32.
Wang, Y., Zhang, F. C., Wang, H. D., Bi, L. F., Cheng, M. H., Yan, F. L. and Xiang, Y. Z. (2019). Effects of the frequency and amount of drip irrigation on yield, tuber quality and water use efficiency of potato in sandy soil of Yulin, northern Shaanxi, China. The Journal of Applied Ecology, 30(12), 4159-4168
Wenzel, J. L., Conrad, C., Piernicke, T., Spengler, D. and Pöhlitz, J. (2022). Assessing the impact of different irrigation levels on starch potato production. Agronomy 12.
 
 
 
 

Global Footprints