Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Irrigation and Drainage, SWRI,Karaj. Iran

2 Associate Professor of Irrigation and Soil Physics, Soil and Water Research Institute, Agricultural Research and Education Organization, Karaj, Iran

10.22092/jwra.2013.128837

Abstract

Management of water distribution in the Qazvin Plain is planned on monthly intervals. Therefore, production functions which can accurately predict yield reduction under deficit irrigation on monthly basis are needed. This study was conducted with the following purpose: assessment of the production functions using different methods including, minimum, average, multiplicative, Raes method, and product with yield response factor (Ky) power as applied by FAO and Najarchi yield response factors. To estimate tomato yield under different deficit irrigations and evaluation of empirical methods, a study was conducted by using randomized complete block design with irrigation interval treatments including T1, T2, T3, and T4 representing, respectively, 60, 90,120, and 150 mm evaporation from class A pan between consecutive irrigations. The study had three replications and was carried out at the Faizabad Agricultural Research Station, in Qazvin. The results showed that maximum water requirement of tomato plant was 1073 mm, T1 treatment had the maximum yield with 88500 kg/ha and T4 treatment had the minimum yield with 57000 kg/ha. Also, according to statistical comparisons, the proposed method that estimated the plant response factor based on monthly power had the minimum root mean square error (RMSE) and  normal root mean square error (NRMSE), while it had the highest agreement index and coefficient of determination (R2).The plant yield response factors were determined in June, July, August, September, and October as, respectively, 0.7, 1.1, 1.1, 1.14 and 0.4. The value of this factor for initial growth, plant development satge, mid-season, and late-season were, respectively, 0.7, 1.1, 1.14, and 0.4, while the average for the whole growing period was determined as 0.89 by using the proposed method. As a result, the proposed method is suggested as a convenient method.    

Keywords