Effect of Water Resources Utilization Methods on Olive Water Use Efficiency

Field study of factors affecting crop water productivity is one of the most important strategies to achieve sustainable agriculture. In this study, the effect of water resources utilization methods on physical and economic indicators of water use efficiency was investigated. To achieve this goal, 30 olive groves including 16 groves under personal ownership and 14 groves under collective ownership wells were selected in Tarom located in Zanjan province. In order to calculate the water use efficiency indicators, irrigation parameters such as water consumption volume, irrigation schedule, crop yield, as well as production costs and sales revenue were determined. The average of water consumption in groves under the personal and collective ownership wells were obtained at 9800 and 12680 m3/ha, respectively. The average of CPD, BPD and NBPD indices in groves under the personal ownership wells were calculated 0.4 kg/m3, 46.9 and 24.4 thousand Rials/m3 and in groves under the collective ownership wells were 0.3 kg/m3, 36.4 and 15.2 thousand Rials/m3. The results of the independent T-test showed that there is no significant difference between the mentioned indicators in the two types of exploitation methods. Lack of control and supervision on water resources utilization, low knowledge of farmers in irrigation management and the incompatibility of water allowance with the crop water requirement, especially in groves with collective ownership wells were recognized as the most significant reasons for reducing the water use efficiency in some olive groves of study region.