MORPHOLOGY, QUALITY AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY FOR TOMATO USING SUBSURFACE WATER RETENTION TECHNOLOGY (SWRT)*

Abstract

A study was carried out to assess the impact of using SWRT on irrigationwater use efficiency IWUE and yields of Tomato. Experiments were carried out attwo different locations, the first was in Najaf province and the second in Diyalaprovince /Iraq 2014 during spring season in sandy soil classified as Typic Torrifloventand Typic Torripsamments. The experiments included four treatments: WRT, organicmatter, tillage and no–tillage farming and the design was randomized completeblocked design RCBD with four replications. Irrigation scheduling was performedaccording to soil moisture content as 35% of available water was depleted thenirrigation water was added from subsurface drip system to bring soil moisturecontent back to field capacity. Soil sensors 5TE from the Decagon Devices, USA wereused to measure volumetric water content. The results showed that1. The use of SWRT technology leads to save 39% and 42% of the amount ofirrigation water added to the tomato crop compared to the tillage treatments(control) for Diyala and Najaf location, respectively.2. Increasing the productivity of the agricultural unit in SWRT with improvedquality of fruits, the increase percentage of tomato 15.35% and 30.12%compared to the tillage treatments, for Diyala and Najaf location, respectively.3. The decrease of amounts irrigation water added, leads to increase water useefficiency in SWRT 88.78%and 156.61% compared with control treatment forDiyala and Najaf location, respectively.4. Improved most vegetative growth characteristics of the two sites in SWRTtreated compared with the control treatment: plant height, leaf area, numberof leaves and flowering. In addition to improving the quality characteristics offruits: percentage of total soluble solids TSS and the content fruits of vitaminC, the percentage of acidity and hardness of fruits