Bakhtiyar Karimi; Fariba Alinazari
Abstract
Estimation of wetting front dimensions enhances the water use efficiency and optimal use of water. Since, globally, most of the cultivated lands are not flat, full recognition of the moisture advance front is essential for proper management and operation of surface drip irrigation in these areas. In ...
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Estimation of wetting front dimensions enhances the water use efficiency and optimal use of water. Since, globally, most of the cultivated lands are not flat, full recognition of the moisture advance front is essential for proper management and operation of surface drip irrigation in these areas. In this study, two physical rectangular cubic models were constructed to measure the soil moisture advance front. The smaller model was used for experiments with lower discharge and the larger model was used for experiments with higher discharge. The experiments were carried out in four different slopes (0, 10%, 20%, and 30%), three soil types with different textures (light, medium, heavy), with three emitter discharges (2, 4 and 6 liters per hour). The results showed that the moisture distribution (for upstream and downstream of the emitter) was different in sloping lands (for different flow rates and different soil texture). Therefore, in relation to the position of the emitter and plant, drip system should be designed differently in the sloping land in comparison to flat lands. According to the nature of the sloping lands, the plant position was downwardly shifted and its exact positions are suggested for different scenarios (for different discharge rates, slopes, and soils) in this study. The results showed that the percent of downstream wetted radius in sloping lands for the three types of heavy, medium, and light textured soils were between 49.2-81.5%, 49.2-76%, and 48.3-70.7%, respectively. These values for the percent of the upstream wetted radius of the emitter ranged between 18.5-50.8%, 24-50.8%, and 29.3-49.7%, respectively. The results of this study can be used as a general guide in the design of drip irrigation systems in sloping land to determine the plant and emitter position relatively accurately.
Bakhtiyar Karimi; Fariba Alinazari
Abstract
The wetted profile pattern is an important factor to consider when designing and managing a surface and subsurface drip irrigation systems. The knowledge of the pattern dimensions is imperative in choosing the suitable spacing between emitters and the correct distance between laterals. The experiments ...
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The wetted profile pattern is an important factor to consider when designing and managing a surface and subsurface drip irrigation systems. The knowledge of the pattern dimensions is imperative in choosing the suitable spacing between emitters and the correct distance between laterals. The experiments were carried out in a transparent plexiglass tank (0.5 *1.22 *3 m) using three different soil textures (sandy clay, sand clay loam, and sandy loam). The drippers were installed at 3 different soil depths (15, 30 and 45 cm). The emitter outflows were 2.4, 4 and 6 Lhr-1 with irrigation duration of 6 hr. In this study, using the data obtained from the laboratory experiments and conducting the nonlinear regression analysis using Microsoft Excel Solver tool 2010, an empirical model was developed to predict the horizontal distribution of the wetting front for different application times. The suggested model includes estimation of the wetted radius at the top and bottom of the emitter horizontal axis as a function of emitter discharge, saturated hydraulic conductivity, water application time, soil bulk density, emitter installation depth, initial soil moisture content, and the percentages of sand, silt, and clay in the soil. We pursued a similar procedure in developing empirical formulas for estimating the wetted radius at different soil depths (by optimizing the coefficients of Equations) to predict the full shape of the wetting pattern. The best performance of the model was related to the depth of zero (on the emitter positioning axis), where the values of RMSE, MAE, and R2 were 2.15, 1.7 cm, 14.85 % and 0.92, respectively. The lowest performance of the model was related to the depth of 20 cm from the emitter, where values of RMSE, MAE, and R2 were 3.93, 3.26 cm, 37.55% and 0.75, respectively (R2 coefficient was significant at 5% level). The results of this research showed that the suggested model predicted the full shape of wetting pattern with acceptable accuracy. Considering these models in designing subsurface drip irrigation systems could improve system performance.
bakhtiar karimi; parva mohammadi
Abstract
One of the most important parameters in designing, managing, and operating surface and subsurface drip irrigation systems is the advance velocity of the wetting (moisture) front in soil, which enormously affects the performance of these systems. Emitter discharge, soil type (soil texture and structure) ...
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One of the most important parameters in designing, managing, and operating surface and subsurface drip irrigation systems is the advance velocity of the wetting (moisture) front in soil, which enormously affects the performance of these systems. Emitter discharge, soil type (soil texture and structure) and initial moisture content are the main factors affecting advance velocity under drip irrigation. Experiments were carried out in a transparent plexiglass tank (0.5 m*1.22 m*3 m) using three different soil textures (light, heavy, and medium). The drippers were installed at 4 different soil depths (surface, 15 cm, 30 cm, and 45 cm). The emitter outflows were considered 2.4, 4, and 6 L/hr. A simulation model was developed using artificial neural network (ANN) for predicting advance velocity of the wetting front (horizontal, downward, and upward direction) under point sources in surface and subsurface drip irrigation. The variables affecting wetting pattern included emitter discharge, emitter installation depth, application time, saturated hydraulic conductivity, soil bulk density, initial soil moisture content, and the proportions of sand, silt and clay in the soil. The results of the comparisons between the simulated and measured values showed that the ANN model was capable of predicting the advance velocity of the wetting front in different directions with high accuracy. The values of Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) varied from 0.09 to 0.35, from 0.02 to 0.17, and from 0.08 to 0.25 cm/min for horizontal, downward and upward velocity, respectively. Also, the values of Mean Absolute Error (MAE) varied from 0.06 to 0.27, from 0.02 to 0.07, and from 0.05 to 0.12 cm/min for horizontal, downward, and upward velocity, respectively. Using these models in designing and operating surface and subsurface drip irrigation systems could improve system performance.
b k; ch a; z f; h g
Abstract
When good quality water is scarce, application of unconventional water resources is considered in agriculture. One of these sources is treated urban wastewater (TUW). In this research, in which plants were grown in medium-size pots, effect of irrigation with wastewater was evaluated on accumulation and ...
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When good quality water is scarce, application of unconventional water resources is considered in agriculture. One of these sources is treated urban wastewater (TUW). In this research, in which plants were grown in medium-size pots, effect of irrigation with wastewater was evaluated on accumulation and distribution in soil profile of heavy metals (iron, manganese, zinc, copper, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and nickel) under greenhouse conditions of the University of Kurdistan. The factorial experiments were conducted according to complete randomized design with three replications. Also, the effect off three irrigation treatments consisting of TUW, alternating TUW- ordinary water, and ordinary water on the accumulation of heavy metals in the soil cultivated with corn and tomato plant were investigated. Soil samples were taken from four different depths and three horizontal distances from the plant. The results showed that TUW had significantly greater amounts of heavy metals in comparison with ordinary water. Also, the maximum and minimum amounts of heavy metal were observed in TUW and ordinary water, respectively. From the findings, it can be concluded that concentration of heavy metals decreased with increasing depth and horizontal distance from the plant location. Manganese (7.3 mg/kg) had the highest concentration in the soil. Also, Arsenic (5.41 mg/kg), iron (4.21 mg/kg), zinc (3.93 mg/kg) and copper (3.3 mg/kg) ranked from the second to fifth, respectively. Type of plants had a significant effect on the accumulation of manganese, zinc, and arsenic. According to the results of this study, there is a threat to human health of heavy metals contamination in plants such as corn and tomatoes. Therefore, it can recommended that irrigation with treated wastewater is to be limited to non-food crops.
b k; f m; t s
Abstract
Drip irrigation has a priority in selecting an appropriate irrigation method in arid and semi-arid regions because of its potential of precisely applying water and chemicals both in quantity and position. Proper design and management of a drip fertigation system is, to some extent, dependent upon a better ...
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Drip irrigation has a priority in selecting an appropriate irrigation method in arid and semi-arid regions because of its potential of precisely applying water and chemicals both in quantity and position. Proper design and management of a drip fertigation system is, to some extent, dependent upon a better understanding of wetting patterns and water and solute distributions in soil under different combinations of soil type and layering, emitter application rate, volume applied and fertigation concentration. In this study, experiments were carried out in a transparent plexiglass tank (0.5 x1.22 x 3 m) using three different soil textures (light, heavy, and medium). The emitter outflows were considered 2.4, 4, and 6 lit/hr with irrigation duration of 6 hr. The fertigation treatments included treatments with nitrate concentrations of 125, 250, and 375 mg/L. Urea fertilizer (CH4N2O) (46% nitrogen) was used in the fertigation treatments. Then, using the p theorem of Buckingham and Dimension Analysis (DA), equations were developed to estimate the pattern of nitrate distribution pattern (horizontal and vertical) in the three soil textures. The equations developed were functions of initial soil nitrate content, nitrate concentrations in fertigation, initial moisture, radial distance of points, applied water volume, hydraulic conductivity, and emitter outflows. The results of the comparisons between simulated and observed values showed that the equations were capable of predicting the pattern of moisture distribution in different directions. The averages of Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values in clay soil and for emitter outflows 2.4, 4, and 6 lit/hr were 0.025, 0.105 and 0.093, respectively. These values for loamy soil were 0.032, 0.052, and 0.05, respectively, and for sandy soil were 0.023, 0.038, and 0.035, respectively. Considering these equations in designing surface drip irrigation systems could improve system performance.