Simulation of Alternate Furrow Irrigation for Wheat using SIRMOD

According to decline in water resources availability and quality and also increases population growth, one of the most important strategic policies for food security is agricultural vertical development which can be achieved by improvement of water productivity. Deficit irrigation by employing alternate furrow irrigation is one of the methods of water management in the field that its application increases water productivity and yield per each irrigation water unit. This study was conducted to evaluate and simulate the alternate furrow irrigation for wheat using SIRMOD model. To reach these aim, some experimental data for Kerman Zenderooh agricultural and environmental research center during 2005-2007 were used. This research was based on randomized complete block statistical design with four treatments normal and alternate furrow irrigation method with two planting distances 50 and 60 cm (T50, T100, T60 and T120) in three replications. Evaluation results by model showed that efficiency of application, irrigation and distribution of water can be improved 2 times in alternate furrow method as compared to normal method. There were 4, 10, 27, 43 minutes difference between observed and computed data of water time advances in treatments T60, T120, T100 and T50, respectively. In total, observations showed that alternate furrow irrigation with a spacing of 60 cm (T120) is suitable for wheat, even in sandy loam soils. This increases the efficiency of application, irrigation and distribution.