The aim of this study was to find out the effects of crop water stress index (CWSI) and soil water content (SWC) under subsurface drip irrigation system on yield and water use efficiency. The CWSI was estimated and SWC was measured under seven irrigation strategies: sustainable deficit irrigation (DI), regulated deficit irrigation (RDI), partial root zone drying (PRD) at two levels i.e. 80% and 60% and full irrigation water (FI) (control). The results showed that, the highest SWC and CWSI during the growth season compared with FI were regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) at 80% followed by PRD at 80% whereas the lowest ones were DI at 60% and PRD at 60%. Also, the highest values of yield and water use efficiency were achieved under RDI at 80% (19.54 t ha-1 in summer and 21.55 t ha-1 in winter) followed by PRD at 80 % whereas the lowest values were achieved under DI and PRD at 60%. The winter season gave values of yield higher than the corresponding ones in obtained summer season by 17.02%.
|