Investigation of impact of using managed water harvesting systems in increasing crop yield

Present research has been executed in Kerman Province during 5 years in order to hillside orchards development by using rainwater harvesting catchments. Towards this attempt, in a rangeland of 5 percent slope, microcatchments were made with 5 different treatments including removed surface with gravelly filter, removed surface without gravelly filter, isolated surface with gravelly filter, isolated surface without gravelly filter and natural surface, with 5 replicates and 3 cultivars of almond (Botter Almond, Sweet Almond and Hamedani). Vegetation parameters (diameter, height, covering crown, existing and crop yield) were measured After cultivation of twigs in down part of microcatchments. The results showed that the means of variables are the lowest value in natural surface treatment and be increased in removed surface without gravelly filter, removed surface with gravelly filter, isolated surface without gravelly filter and isolated surface with gravelly filter respectively. So that in fifth year, mean values of diameter, height, covering crown, existing and crop yield in isolated surface with gravelly filter are 58.5 mm, 258 cm, 2.5 square meters, 1.2 kg for each tree and 100 pecent. Also between 75 almond trees with 3 cultivars, Shahrood 21 had better growth than others. So utilization of isolated surfaces with gravelly filter can be recommended in supplying water for hillside orchards in watersheds using rainwater harvesting systems.