Agricultural Research,Education and Extension Organization Journal of Water Research in Agriculture 2228-7140 37 2 2023 08 23 Determination of Alfalfa Water Productivity in Different Regions of Iran Determination of Alfalfa Water Productivity in Different Regions of Iran 119 137 129473 10.22092/jwra.2023.362057.987 FA Mehdi Akbari Associated Professor, Agricultural Engineering Research Institute, AREEO, Karaj, Iran 0000-0002-6514-9119 Fariborz Abbasi Agricultural Engineering Research Institue, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran 0000-0002-0662-7723 Abolfazl Nasseri Agricultural Engineering Research Department, East Azarbaijan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Tabriz, Iran. Afshin Gomrokchi Agricultural Engineering Research Department, Qazvin Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Qazvin, Iran Mostafa Goodarzi Instructor of Markazi Agricultural and natural Resources Research and Education Center. Arak.Iran. Amir Eslami Agricultural Engineering Research Department, Fars Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Fars, Iran Masoud Farzamnia Agricultural Engineering Research Department, Isfahan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Isfahan, Iran R Alimohammadi Agricultural Engineering Research Department, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Shahr-e Kord, Iran Nader Kouhi Chellehkaran Assistant Prof. of Agricultural Engineering Research Department, Kerman Agricultural and Resource Research Center Reza Bahramloo Agricultural Engineering Research Department, Hamedan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Hamedan, Iran Ali Ghadami Firouzabadi Assistant Prof, Department of Agricultural Engineering Research, Hamedan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Hamedan, Iran. Seyed Abolghassem Haghayeghi Moghaddam Agricultural Engineering Research Department, Agriculture and Natural Resources Research and Education Center of Khorasan Razavi Ardalan Zolfagharan Academic member of Agricultural Engineering Research Institute (AERI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran. Jamal Ahmadaali Agricultural Engineering Research Department,West Azerbaijan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Urmiye, Iran Mohamad Abasi Janjan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center Hamid Riahi Kerman Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center Mohammad Mehdi Nakhjavanimoghaddam Assistant professor of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, Agricultural Engineering Research Institute (AERI), Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran Journal Article 2023 04 19 In this study, volume of irrigation water, water productivity, and yield of alfalfa were measured in 300 farms in Zanjan, Fars, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Hamedan, East Azerbaijan, Semnan, Khorasan-Razavi, Isfahan, West Azerbaijan, Central, Qazvin and Kerman provinces under farmers management and surface and sprinkler irrigation, various water sources, different water salinities, soil conditions, and varieties, during the growing season of 2018-2019. The results showed that the difference between average volumes of water applied by farmers, yield, and water productivity, in the studied sites were significant at 1% probability level. The average amount of applied water by farmers was 8502, 8901, 9226, 9459, 11481, 12796, 14311, 14821, 15198, 15916, 18351 and 23920 m3/ha, respectively, and the average was 13284 m3/ha. The dry yield of alfalfa varied from 2500 to 30000 kg/ha with an average of 13841 kg/ha. Irrigation water productivity varied from 0.2 to 4.5 and its average was 1.28 kg/m3. The average irrigation water plus effective rainfall productivity for alfalfa was 1.19 kg/m3. The results showed that the average applied water and alfalfa yield in surface and sprinkler irrigation methods were 15076 and 10653 m3/ha, respectively, (p<1%). These results showed that in sprinkler irrigation method, applied water was 30% less and irrigation water plus effective rainfall productivity was 41% higher. Accordingly, in order to reduce the volume of irrigation water and improve alfalfa water productivity, it is recommended to use sprinkler method in suitable climatic conditions where irrigation water is of good quality and the technical criteria of design, implementation, operation, and economic considerations are met. In this study, volume of irrigation water, water productivity, and yield of alfalfa were measured in 300 farms in Zanjan, Fars, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, Hamedan, East Azerbaijan, Semnan, Khorasan-Razavi, Isfahan, West Azerbaijan, Central, Qazvin and Kerman provinces under farmers management and surface and sprinkler irrigation, various water sources, different water salinities, soil conditions, and varieties, during the growing season of 2018-2019. The results showed that the difference between average volumes of water applied by farmers, yield, and water productivity, in the studied sites were significant at 1% probability level. The average amount of applied water by farmers was 8502, 8901, 9226, 9459, 11481, 12796, 14311, 14821, 15198, 15916, 18351 and 23920 m3/ha, respectively, and the average was 13284 m3/ha. The dry yield of alfalfa varied from 2500 to 30000 kg/ha with an average of 13841 kg/ha. Irrigation water productivity varied from 0.2 to 4.5 and its average was 1.28 kg/m3. The average irrigation water plus effective rainfall productivity for alfalfa was 1.19 kg/m3. The results showed that the average applied water and alfalfa yield in surface and sprinkler irrigation methods were 15076 and 10653 m3/ha, respectively, (p<1%). These results showed that in sprinkler irrigation method, applied water was 30% less and irrigation water plus effective rainfall productivity was 41% higher. Accordingly, in order to reduce the volume of irrigation water and improve alfalfa water productivity, it is recommended to use sprinkler method in suitable climatic conditions where irrigation water is of good quality and the technical criteria of design, implementation, operation, and economic considerations are met.

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