Optimal Tape Spacing and Water Use Efficiency for Wheat Crop on Silty Clay Loam Soil Texture

The present study was carried out in the Mahyar region of Esfahan Province to determine optimum drip tape spacing for the wheat crops on a silty clay loam soil respecting grain yield as well as yield components, water use efficiency, and variations in the salinity within the soil profile. The experiment was performed for three years from 2017 to 2019 with a randomized complete block design with three replicates and four treatments. The treatments consisted of three tape spacings (A) at 45, (B) at 60, (C) at 75 cm, and the Control (D) was irrigated with the basin method. The same volume of irrigated water was applied to the drip treatments, A, B, and C in every irrigation interval, whereas for treatment D, the local farmers’ practice was followed. Based on the results from compound variance analysis, the treatment effect on both grain yield and biological yield, and on water use efficiency and harvest index was significant at 1% and 5% level of confidence, respectively. The mean water use efficiency in treatments A, B, C, and D was measured as 0.79, 0.79, 0.73, and 0.78 kg m-3; thus, treatments A, B, and D outperformed treatment C. A comparison between the salinity of the soil profile at the beginning and the end of the growing season revealed that the basin irrigation method was more effective on salt leaching than the drip tape system. The results of this study indicated that concerning water use efficiency and crop yield, drip tapes spaced at 45 or 60 cm outperformed those which were 75 cm apart. On the other hand, the work required for irrigation system installation as well as the amount of drip tape residues left on the field at the end of the growing season is larger for tapes spaced at 45 cm compared to those which are 60 cm apart. This will have a significant impact on farmers’ budgets and environmental issues. Therefore, it is recommended to lay the tapes 60 cm apart for the irrigation of wheat crops on silty clay loam soils.