Implementation of technical solutions in canola fields and its impact on improving water productivity (Case Study: North of Khuzestan Province)

The implementation of the Khuzestan Land reclamation Plan, has been provided a suitable platform to promoting research findings on the proper use of soil and water resources, agricultural inputs and increasing crop production. Therefore, this study was carried out in the agricultural year 2017-2018 with the aim of evaluating the water productivity resulting from improved management of canola production inputs and comparing it with conventional management in the northern lands of Khuzestan province. For this purpose, 11 farms (advanced management treatment) were selected to apply technical packages including irrigation scheduling, using the minimum tillage, applying balanced plant nutrition, raised bed planting, proper seed rate, according to farm conditions and farmer facilities. In each of these farms, the amount of applied water during the growing season, grain yield and water productivity were determined and compared with the surrounding farms data with traditional management (control treatment). The results showed that the average canola grain yield and water productivity increased from 2413 kg ha-1 and 0.51 kg m-3 in the control treatment to 2994 kg ha-1 and 0.69 kg m-3 in the superior treatment, respectively. This increase was statistically significant at the level of 1%.