Articles
Monitoring and improving irrigation efficiency in an organic olive farm in Cyprus
Article number
1253_49
Pages
373 – 380
Language
English
Abstract
Water resources for irrigation of agricultural lands in the Mediterranean are expected to decrease in the future.
Therefore, it is important to optimize irrigation practices and reduce water losses.
The main objective of this research is to improve irrigation practices at a commercial organic olive farm in Cyprus.
Irrigation practices are observed in the olive tree orchard since June 2016. The field was planted with ‘Koroneiki’ trees in 2002. Soil moisture sensors were installed at 10, 20 and 40-cm depths, in the root zone of four trees and data are recorded hourly.
A meteorological station for monitoring weather conditions was also installed in the field.
Crop evapotranspiration was estimated through application of the soil water balance for the top 50 cm of the root zone for the 2016 and 2017 irrigation seasons, from June to December.
Soil moisture observations indicated water losses to deeper soil layers, during and after irrigation.
The results were presented to the farm manager and options for improved irrigation scheduling in the coming season were discussed.
Participatory irrigation research is a valuable approach for improving olive tree orchard management in the Mediterranean.
Improved irrigation scheduling can limit excess water loss and increase the efficiency of irrigated orchards.
Therefore, it is important to optimize irrigation practices and reduce water losses.
The main objective of this research is to improve irrigation practices at a commercial organic olive farm in Cyprus.
Irrigation practices are observed in the olive tree orchard since June 2016. The field was planted with ‘Koroneiki’ trees in 2002. Soil moisture sensors were installed at 10, 20 and 40-cm depths, in the root zone of four trees and data are recorded hourly.
A meteorological station for monitoring weather conditions was also installed in the field.
Crop evapotranspiration was estimated through application of the soil water balance for the top 50 cm of the root zone for the 2016 and 2017 irrigation seasons, from June to December.
Soil moisture observations indicated water losses to deeper soil layers, during and after irrigation.
The results were presented to the farm manager and options for improved irrigation scheduling in the coming season were discussed.
Participatory irrigation research is a valuable approach for improving olive tree orchard management in the Mediterranean.
Improved irrigation scheduling can limit excess water loss and increase the efficiency of irrigated orchards.
Authors
M. Siakou, A. Bruggeman, C. Zoumides, M. Eliades
Keywords
Koroneiki, soil moisture, soil water balance, field capacity, participatory research
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