Comparison of Drip‐ and Furrow‐Irrigated red Pepper Yield, Yield Components, Quality and net Profit Generation

• Published in: Irrigation and drainage 2015, Vol.64 (4), p.546-556
• Main Authors: Sezen, S.Metin, Attila Yazar, Haydar Şengül, Nafi Baytorun, Yildiz Daşgan, Asiye Akyildiz, Servet Tekin, Derya Onder, Erdal Ağçam, Yelderem Akhoundnejad, Özkan Gügercin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: deficit irrigation; furrow irrigation; income; irrigation rates; microirrigation; pepper; water quantity; yield components
• ISSN: 1531-0353; 1531-0361

The effects of different irrigation regimes on yield and quality and net profit of processing red pepper irrigated with drip and furrow irrigation systems under field conditions in the Mediterranean region of Turkey were evaluated over two years. The treatments for drip consist of full irrigation (DFI), deficit irrigation DDI‐75, D‐PRD‐50, DF‐PRD‐50 and DDI‐50, and for furrow: full irrigation (FFI), fixed alternative furrow (FAF‐50) and PRD furrow (FPRD‐50). FAF‐50 and FPRD‐50 received 50% of water applied to FFI. In FAF‐50 the same furrows were irrigated while FPRD‐50 was irrigated alternately. Irrigation methods and levels had a significant effect on total yield and some quality parameters of red pepper. Drip produced higher red pepper yields than furrow. The highest yield in the drip system was obtained from the DFI treatment followed by DDI‐75, DDI‐50 and DF‐PRD‐50 treatments. Although D‐PRD‐50, DF‐PRD‐50 and DDI‐50 received the same amount of water, D‐PRD‐50 resulted in a higher yield. In furrow treatments, FFI resulted in the highest yield, followed by FPRD‐50 and FAF‐50. Water productivity (WP) decreased with increasing water quantity for both irrigation systems. Fruit weight, size and flesh thickness were higher in the DFI and FFI treatments. Full irrigation treatments (DFI and FFI) generated the highest net income.