Effect of wide-bed and alternate furrow irrigation on water use and yield of cotton

Abstract

The effect of 80- and 90-inch wide-bed cultural practice systems and alternate furrow irrigation on soil moisture distribution, water use and yields of cotton were studied as compared to every furrow irrigation of conventional 40-inch rows. The every furrow irrigation treatment had the highest soil moisture content throughout the season and received the most water. Alternate furrow irrigation treatments had the lowest soil moisture content and received about 30 percent less water than the every furrow irrigation treatment. There was limited soil water movement from the irrigated furrow to the adjacent non-irrigated furrow. The 90-inch beds had higher soil moisture contents than the 80-inch beds, with about equal depths of water applied. There was considerable lateral movement of water toward the bed center. The wide beds received about the same quantity of water as the alternate furrow irrigation treatment. No significant difference was found in seed or lint cotton yields due to row spacing or alternate furrow irrigation. The wide-bed cultural practice and alternate furrow irrigation systems had similar water use efficiencies, expressed as lint yield per inch of applied water. These systems increased the water use efficiency about 23 percent over the every furrow irrigation system.