Evaluating and Improving the Sugarcane Furrow Irrigation Management in Khuzestan

The major problem in surface irrigation methods is low irrigation efficiency which is mainly caused by the lack of suitable irrigation management. Noting the cost of pressurized irrigation systems and restrictions of applying them in some circumstances, it is necessary to improve surface irrigation methods. This study aimed to assess the current situation of furrow irrigation management, identifying weaknesses and ways to improve water consumption in four sugarcane agro-industries of Dehkhoda, Amirkabir, Hakim Farabi and Karun. In this study, the amount of water used, irrigation scheduling parameters, irrigation application efficiency and water distribution uniformity of the studied farms were evaluated. At total, 37 cases were evaluated at different stages of growth in the studied sugarcane agro-industries. In each of the studied farms, soil texture, bulk density, advance and recession times, inflow rate, soil moisture content (before and after the irrigation), two points of soil moisture characteristic curve, field slope, furrow cross section, and irrigation time were measured. Results showed that irrigation interval in the studied farms was short, irrigation time was long, and water consumption in most of the evaluated farms was more than the required water. Soil moisture before irrigation at depths of 33-66 cm and 66-100 cm and sometimes at depth of 0-33 cm in the most of the studied fields was close to field capacity (FC) or even it was more than it. Irrigation gross water depth ranged from 70 to 319 mm and application efficiency varied from 7 to 100 percent, average was 42.5%. Unlike application efficiency, water distribution uniformity was acceptable in the studied farms and its average was approximately 92%. Water losses in the studied farms were mainly due to deep percolation.