Irrigation scheduling and water requirements for cowpea using evaporation pan at middle of Iraq

Abstract

The present study was conducted to find out the water requirements and most suitable irrigation frequencies for cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) var grown under drip irrigation. The treatments were based on the IW:CPE ratio at different empirical pan factors 0.6 , 0.8, 1.0, 1.,1.4 , and 1.6 Ef (where Ef = IW/CPE). It was observed that the irrigation interval was variable values decreased by increasing Ef value and with the progress of the growing season. The 1.2 and 1.0 IW: CPE treatments with approximately 4 days irrigation interval were achieved the best results. The total amount of applied water during Cowpea growing season was varied between 247.7 and 266.5mm with 254.8mm as a mean. Irrigation treatment with Ef1.2 was superior over the rest of other treatments in fresh seed yield (5.13 ton.hec.^-1), crop water productivity (2.14 kg.m^-3), biological yield (6.88 ton.hec.^-1) , fresh pod yield (7.33 ton.hec.^-1), weight of 100 seed (31.28gm), number of seed/pod (9.34) and netting percentage (37.1). The lowest values of the most parameters used in this study were obtained by Ef 0.6 irrigation treatment.