Effect of Deficit Irrigation on Crop Yield and Water Productivity of Crop, a Synthesis Review

Abera Tesfaye^*
*Correspondence: Abera Tesfaye, Department of Agriculture Sciences, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Adama, Ethiopia, Tel: 968130137, Email:

Keywords

Deficit irrigation • Crops • Water productivity • Water scarcity

Introduction

Water scarcity is the most challenge for crop production. Water scarcity and drought are driven by climate change. Present water shortages are one of the main global problems and are more critical in the future [1]. In areas with water shortages, water saving in agricultural production is critical and essential. Competition for water use for irrigation or agribusiness and other sectors increases as a result of water scarcity and an increase in drought. Agricultural water use is the main one among all water uses [2]. Water scarcity is not always the result of a physical lack of water but also due to inadequate institutional originations. Agriculture is forced to find new approaches to water scarcity by adopting sustainable water use issues. Innovations in water use in agriculture are required both by management and by water-saving practices. These innovations used to save agricultural water are practiced in irrigated agriculture (engineering, agronomical, management and institutional), system modernization, improved irrigation methods, farm irrigation scheduling, and controlled drainage system[3]. The use of limited water resources is more effective by manipulation of water transport through a soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, implementing actual distribution of irrigation water and increased focus on increasing water availability for yield increase [4].

Improved irrigation management and efficient use of irrigation water strategies are the most cost-effective tools to address water protection issues [5]. Deficit irrigation practice is one of the important methods for saving water to crop production. Deficit irrigation is a technique to reduce water demand, increase Water Use Efficiency (WUE), and optimize the yield of crops [6]. It is well-defined as the application of water below the full water requirement of the crop.

Reduction in the water applied lowers evapotranspiration and crop growth rates by limiting their principal component, transpiration, and as a consequence, carbon assimilation [7]. Methods of applying deficit irrigation strategies can be regulated deficit irrigation, partial root-zone drying, and sustained deficit irrigation. In deficit irrigation practice, agricultural water productivity (yield per unit of water used) must be improved. It is a key technology because it helps to improve water use efficiency [8]. Deficit irrigation requires precise knowledge of crop response to drought stress for each growth stage since drought tolerance of crops varies by genotype and phonological stages [9]. It requires a detailed analysis and in-depth understanding of how given crops respond to water stress. In addition, it requires a more accurate and real-time allocation of agricultural water resources, especially in arid areas. In deficit irrigation water demand can be reduced, can be diverted for alternative uses, and to quantify the level of deficit irrigation it is first necessary to define the full crop evapotranspiration requirement [10]. Engineering, social, institutional, and cultural issues to determine the distribution and management of irrigation water are related to the economy of deficit irrigation.

Increasing water productivity is a vital element in improved water management for sustainability, health ecosystem functioning, and food security [11]. Water productivity is defined as the amount of agricultural output per unit of water depleted, grain yield per unit of water Evapotranspired (ETc), or grain yield per unit of total water input (irrigation plus rainfall) [12]. It is also described as crop yield per cubic meter of water consumption including green water (effective rainfall) and both green water and blue water (diverted water from water systems) for irrigation [13]. Adapted water stress tolerated crops, reducing water losses, and ensuring ideal agronomic conditions for crop production are opportunities for improving crop water productivity. Improving water productivity with water stress is possible if stresses such as nutrient deficiencies, weeds, and diseases are removed. Water productivity can be improved by improving field crop management; such as correct crop timing that will lead to a shorter crop season, proper supply of irrigation water, improved seeds, and correct application of water [14]. Maximization of yield per unit of water (water productivity) and not yield per unit of land (land productivity), is therefore a better strategy for dry farming systems [15]. Water productivity is a useful indicator for quantifying the impact of irrigation scheduling decisions concerning water management. To improve water productivity, techniques such as supplemental irrigation and water harvesting are required to optimize limited water resources. Improving water productivity in agriculture will reduce competition for scarce water resources, mitigate environmental degradation, and enhance food security with less water reward. In this review, the existing information on deficit irrigation and water productivity of crops for major crops is reviewed.

As a methodology, different articles, papers from research gates, and journals were reviewed.

Literature Review

Effect of deficit irrigation on crops

Maize: Grain yield of maize and water use efficiency as affected by deficit irrigation. A combination of irrigation methods and deficit irrigation was affects the grain yield of maize crops (p<0.05) [16]. The water use efficiency was significantly influenced (p<0.001) by deficit irrigation in maize production. Water use efficiency was enhanced by deficit irrigation practices (Table 1).

Growth stages and yield components of maize were also affected by deficit irrigation. During the developmental stages, mid-season stage, and during all stages for a 75% deficit throughout the growing season, the yields of maize were significantly different at (p<0.001) from the rest of the treatment [17] (Table 2).

The Highest grain yield and lowest grain yield were recorded from full irrigation and 60% of full irrigation respectively. The 80% full irrigation had water use efficiency similar to full irrigation (p<0.05) and not between 60% of full irrigation (Figure 1) [18].

Onion: Onion crops were affected by deficit irrigation practices subjected to water stress and growing stages.

Application of a minimum amount of water (T₈₀ to T₅₀) produces a reduction in onion yield versus applying a higher amount of water (T₁₀₀ and T₉₀) (Table 3) [19].

Onion crops were affected by deficit irrigation levels and growth stages. Marketable bulb yield was significantly (p<0.01) affected by the irrigation level [20]. Higher marketable bulb yields of onion (26.73t/ ha) were gained from full irrigation (100% ETc) and followed by 80% and 60% irrigation levels with the value of 25.18 t/ha and 21.98 t/ha respectively. Water productivity was significantly (p<0.01) affected due to the application of deficit irrigation in different growth stages but not by irrigation level (Table 4).

Control treatment produces the highest marketable yield but it is not significantly different from no irrigation in the initial stages with a 75% deficit at development, mid and late stages, and no irrigation at mid stages with and a 75% deficit at initial, development and late stages [21]. No irrigating during a phonological stage and 50% ETc irrigation during the rest of the stages are characterized by poor performance in all yield components. Water productivity increase with the increase of water stress (Table 5).

Tomato: The total yield and marketable yield of tomatoes as affected by deficit irrigation levels mentioned that groundwater with 75% FC and recycled water with 100% FC produced the highest tomato yield relative to other treatments. The production loss (average) due to irrigation deficiency in groundwater treatment with 80% FC, groundwater with 70% FC, and groundwater with 60% FC was 7.7%, 25%, and 45%, respectively, compared to control treatment. Using recycled wastewater as an irrigation source, crop yield, and irrigation water use efficiency can be increased compared to mixed and conventional groundwater for tomato production at the same deficit irrigation level (Table 6) [22].

Tomato yield was affected by soil moisture level significantly (p<0.001). Lower moisture stress during fruit maturity stages than that applied during vegetative growth, fruit set, and fruit growing stages (Table 7).

The yield of tomatoes was reduced by too much water application but a higher yield was gained from zero deficit [23]. Applied irrigation water affects the marketable tomatoes yield.

A deficit irrigation strategy applied at 85%, 70% of crop water requirement gives relatively better fruit yield than 50% of crop water requirement (Table 8).

Feba bean: Feba bean dry grain yields were affected significantly by moisture stress [24]. They suggest that 50% full irrigation during the vegetative growth stages resulted in the highest dry grain yield.

Rain-fed and 50% of full irrigation produce the highest and lowest water productivity during vegetative growth stages. The application of deficit irrigation using 50% during the vegetative growth stages saves 17% of the water quantity compared to deficit irrigation (Table 9).

Discussion

The growth and yield parameters of the Faba bean plants affected by different levels of irrigation water could be organized in the following descending order, 100%>80%>60% of the irrigation water requirement, respectively [25]. 100% of the irrigation requirement of the Faba bean gave the highest values of growth and yield parameters, while the lowest values were more pronounced when 60% of the irrigation requirement was applied. The increase in irrigation water levels is seen to significantly decrease water use efficiency. The effect of different levels of irrigation water on the efficiency of water use can be arranged in descending order as 60%>80%>100%. In general, irrigation plays a vital role in tomato yield formation, and the effect varies from stage to stage (Figures 2 and 3).

Conclusion

The overall aim of this review is to assess the effect of deficit irrigation on crop yield and water productivity from the existing literature. All reviewed literature above indicated that deficit irrigation approaches, improve the yield of maize, onion, tomato, and faba bean crops and the efficiency of water use. It can lead to certain yield loss which was compensated by saved water. Deficit irrigation can be used as a tactical measure to reduce irrigation water use when supply is limited. Production cost and leaching of nutrients are reduced by using deficit irrigation practices. In the water limited area, deficit irrigation is important to improve water productivity. The main advantage of deficit irrigation was it maximizes water productivity. In most of the reviewed literature, the permit for 60%-100% evapotranspiration of the irrigation level supply under deficit irrigation should be most important than the high level of water stress depending on the sensitivity of the crops to water stress. The interaction of growth stages and irrigation levels also affects crop yields and water productivity. The level of irrigation positively influenced the yield of the crops, with the yield of the crops decreasing as the level of water deficit increased.

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