Evaluation of Indoor Drip Irrigation System at Oumdom Green Houses

Abstract

A study was conducted from October 2007 to April 2008 to evaluate the performance of the drip irrigation system used in Oumdoum area for production of cucumber. There were two types of irrigation system in the greenhouses. The first type had two laterals per row, double laterals (greenhouses number І and ІІ); while the other had one lateral per row of crops, single laterals (greenhouses number ІІІ and ІV). The parameters studied were; the application rate, operating pressure, coefficient of uniformity, uniformity of distribution and scheduling uniformity. Also were measured the moisture content and wetted diameter for the two types. The weather factors inside and outside the greenhouses were measured using a portable weather station. The results showed a highly significant (P≤ 0.01) difference in moisture content at the beginning, middle and end of the lateral lines for the two types. A highly significant (P≤ 0.01) difference in moisture content was found between the single and double lateral lines. The study showed that the pressure in the lateral lines in all the greenhouses studied was less than the pressure recommended for the system (one bar). The variation in pressure in the lateral lines of the drip irrigation types were 13.5%, 20.7%, 15.2% and 17.3% in greenhouses number І, ІІ, ІІІ and ІV, respectively. iv On the other hand, the uniformity of distribution of the system was 86.1%, 76.2%, 85.8% and 82.7% in greenhouses number І, ІІ, ІІІ and ІV, respectively. Coefficient of uniformity was 86.6%, 78.5%, 88.4% and 85.0% in greenhouses number І, ІІ, ІІІ and ІV, respectively. Scheduling uniformity was 1.16, 1.30, 1.16 and 1.21 in greenhouse number І, ІІ, ІІІ and ІV, respectively. These figures indicated that the types tested had reasonable performance.