Productivity and water utilization efficiency of Williams banana plants under drip irrigation system in calcareous soils [electronic resource].

Includes references.

The present study was carried out at a private orchard farm, North Tahrir area- Behera Governorate, on Williams banana plants (Musa cavendishii Lamb.), during the 2002 and 2003 years. The experimental site represents newly reclaimed calcareous soils. The investigation aimed to estimate the effect of drip irrigation treatments on growth parameters, yield, yield parameters, amount of applied irrigation water and water utilization efficiency of Williams banana plants. The experiment implied four irrigation treatments (I1 = irrigation every day, with amount of water equals 120% of potential evapotranspiration, ETp, determined by class A pan, I2 = irrigation daily, with amount of water equals 100% ETp, I3 = irrigation daily, with amount of water equals 80% ETp, and I4 = irrigation daily with amount of water equals 60% ETp). Results revealed that the growth parameters; yield parameters and banana yield, were significantly affected by the tested drip irrigation treatments. The I1 irrigation treatment gave the highest values of all tested parameters. Banana yields for I1 treatment were 70 and 90% higher than the yields of I4 treatments in the first and second seasons, respectively. The amounts of applied irrigation water ranged from 4785 to 9477 m3/fed/yr and from 4390 to 8840 m3/fed/yr, in the 1st and 2nd seasons, respectively. The maximum value of applied irrigation water occurred in August. The maximum water utilization efficiency values were 4.38 and 4.13 kg banana/m3 applied irrigation water, in the two respective years, and were obtained from I4 irrigation treatment. While, the lowest values were 3.75 and 3.76 kg banana/m3 applied irrigation water, in the 1st and 2nd seasons, respectively and were obtained from the I1 irrigation treatment.

Summary in Arabic.

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