Evaluating water productivity of sunflower crop under different locations in Egypt [electronic resource]

Includes references.

The present trial was conducted through 2014 in order to determine the impacts of sowing dates and irrigation intervals on sunflower seed production under different Egyptian locations. Seed productivity, crop water use and water productivity (WP) were considered in order to determine the most proper circumstances producing the reasonable seed yield per a unit of water use. The most important findings could be summarized as follows: - Sunflower seed productivity was significantly differed due to the chosen locations, and higher figures (833.00 and 829.33 kgfad⁻¹) were noticed under Gemmeiza and Giza conditions, respectively. Higher water use was recorded under Shandweel condition (484.4mm). On the contrary, lower water use (415.1 mm) was obtained under Fayoum conditions, which could be attributed to lower seed yield. Crop water use under Sakha, Gemmeiza and Giza conditions did not greatly differ and comprised 406.6, 423.0 and 449.6 mm, respectively. Higher WP values were observed under Gemmeiza, Giza and Sakha conditions which amounted to 0.46, 0.43 and 0.42 kgm⁻³, respectively. Nevertheless, under Fayoum and Shandweel conditions lower WP values were noticed and comprised 0.32 and 0.36 kgm⁻³, respectively. Summer growing season exhibited the highest figure of sunflower seed yield which reached to 1050.94 kgfad⁻¹ and exceeded those of Nili and winter growing seasons by 49.68 and 120.6%, respectively. Furthermore, the highest sunflower ET (509.3 mm) and WP values were recorded with summer season. Such findings indicating that the prevailing weather conditions during the summer season were encouraging proper crop performance. Medium irrigation interval surpassed both short and long irrigation intervals and seed yield increased by 14.84 and 26.39%, respectively. However, the highest water use (ETc) and WP i.e. 478.5 mm and 0.43 kg seeds m⁻³, respectively, resulted from irrigating at the short interval.

Summary in Arabic.

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