WATER MANAGEMENT FOR

VEGETABLE CROP PRODUCTION

• The current effort to produce more vegetables puts further stress on
the already scarce water supply for agriculture
• It will necessitate more progressive plans in water resource
development .
• Vegetable crops are highly seasonal and selective to the degree of soil
moisture
• Rainy season- suffer heavy damage due to pest and disease infestations
• Dry season- vegetables suffers from low water supply (restricts more
extensive or intensive production of vegetables)
 CONCEPT OF WATER
MANAGEMENT
• Increasing knowledge on soil, plant and water relations has advanced the
proper employ of water in the farm
• Irrigation and drainage have become the means to effect the availability of
water to the plants and complete control of the water content of the soil.
• Through moisture technology irrigation has transformed from an art to a
powerful tool in agricultural production
• Due to effective manipulation of the soil by proper irrigation and drainage
practices, in combination with the application of the other factors and farm
practices, has evolved the universal concept of water management
 CONCEPT OF WATER
MANAGEMENT
• Objectives :

• Maximize the proper use of water through controlled and even application by
irrigation as well as reduced losses

• Optimize plant growth by providing the conditions which can promote the
simultaneous availability of air, water and soil nutrients in proportion favorable
to the plants

• Provide the conditions for more intensive

 CONCEPT OF WATER
MANAGEMENT
• Vegetable crops generally require wetter soils than other upland crops
most of the time, especially at the upper 30 cm topsoil.
• Needs to frequently applied but light water application during the growing season

• Application at the right stage of growth is equally important to attain the

desired quality of the vegetables products

• In the field, schemes and level of water management should be tried and
whichever gives the best crop response should be adapted.
 IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN THE
PHILIPPINES
• Commonly classified as :

• Gravity
• Requires a dam to divert the water from the stream

• Pumping
• Uses a pump to draw water either from a nearby stream or a ground
water supply
• Water is carried through pipes or canals to the fileds to be irrigated
 IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN THE
PHILIPPINES
• Commonly classified as :

• Gravity
• Requires a dam to divert the water from the stream

• Pumping
• Uses a pump to draw water either from a nearby stream or a ground
water supply
• Water is carried through pipes or canals to the fields to be irrigated
• Suitable methos of irrigation largely depends on the following :

• Soil type

• Topography
• Crop
• Climate
 GENERAL METHODS OF APPLICATION MAY
BE USED IN VEGETABLE PRODUCTION

• Subsurface irrigation
• Sprinkler Irrigation
• Surface Irrigation
 IRRIGATION METHODS USED IN
VEGETABLE PRODUCTION
• Subsurface irrigation
• Water is applied beneath the soil surface through a tile
system laid at a convenient depth and slope
• Capillary movement of water upward into the surface
layers of soils enables theroots to absorb water
• Usually results in leass soil compaction and minimum
interference with tillage operations
• It is a very expensive method to develop
 IRRIGATION METHODS USED IN
VEGETABLE PRODUCTION
• Sprinkler Irrigation
• Water is applied in the form of spray or artificial rain
• Required that the rate of application be less than the
infiltration rate capacity of the soil
• A pump is needed to provide pressure to force the water
through perforated pipes or oscillating sprinklers
• Uses water efficiently
 IRRIGATION METHODS USED IN
VEGETABLE PRODUCTION
• Sprinkler Irrigation
• Advantages:
• Uses water efficiently
Flexibility of operation
Disadvantages
• equipment is too costly
• Requires highly technical know-how
• Farmers are reluctant to use unless they are raising high-valued
vegetable crops
 GENERAL METHODS OF APPLICATION MAY
BE USED IN VEGETABLE PRODUCTION
•Surface Irrigation
•Water is applied on the surface of the soil either in furrows or by flooding,
depending upon the crop.

•For furrow irrigation, water is applied in V-shaped furrows between the crop rows.

•Flooding is good for lowland rice but seldom practiced on vegetables crops

•Most economical irrigation method ( no investment for pump and tiles is necessary
but the land must be graded to the proper slope.
•
 FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN PLANNING
FOR MORE EFFICIENT USE OF WATER IN THE
FIELD
• Amount and time of irrigation
• Irrigation water should fill the soil moisture reservoir between
field capacity and wilting point and should be available for
the crops without causing undue moisture stress
• Wilting point – moisture status in the soil at which plants are
subject to irreversible wilting due to high moisture stress
• Field capacity – state at which holds water in capillary
suspension at maximum
 FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN PLANNING
FOR MORE EFFICIENT USE OF WATER IN THE
FIELD
Soil Type Specific Wilting Cappillary Moisture Storage
Gravity point (%)
% Mm/30 cm depth of
soil
Loamy sand 1.55 3.87 9.03 23.99
Sandy loam 1.50 6.00 14.00 36.00
Loam 1.40 10.00 27.43 48.01
Clay loam 1.35 12.59 26.67 54.02
Silty clay 1.30 16.15 31.54 60.02
1.25 18.40 34.40 60.00
 FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN PLANNING
FOR MORE EFFICIENT USE OF WATER IN
THE FIELD
• Water requirements and water control
• Water management requires a fairly accurate determination
of the total water required during the production season
• Water requirements should include basic needs of the crop
such as transpiration, evaporation and all forms of soil
losses like seepage , pecolation and rn-off
Consumptive use of water can be a basis for estimating thecrop
water requirement of the crop but with certain adjustment
(Table 2)
AVERAGE CONSUMPTIVE USE OF
VARIOUS VEGETABLE COPS
 •Crop Root
Amount and Zone
time Ave. growing
of irrigation Average
Depth (cm) period (days) Consumptive Use
• W Growing ater requirements and water control(cm)

Cabbage 42-61 70-90 30

Carrot 91-122 40-60 30
Corn 61-91 90-100 61
Cowpea 91-122 110-120 53
Cucumber 91-122 60-70 30
Eggplant 91-122 90-120 48
Garlic 46-61 90-120 36
Lettuce 46-61 40-50 30
Mungo 30-61 90-100 41
Crop• Amount and
Root Zone
time Ave. growing
of irrigation Average
Depth (cm) period (days) Consumtive Use
• W Growing ater requirements and water control
(cm)
Mustard 91-122 40-60 41
Okra 91-122 60-90 30
Onion 46-61 90-100 46
Peanut 46-61 140-160 58
Pechay 91-122 40-60 30
Radish 48-61 40-60 30
Soybean 61-91 120-150 53
Stringbean 91-122 60-100 38
sugarcane 46-61 330-450 165
Sweet pepper 91-122 90-120 58
Sweet potato 122-up 60-120 46
Squash 91-122 110-130 46
Tomato 120-up 80-100 46
 FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN PLANNING
FOR MORE EFFICIENT USE OF WATER IN
THE FIELD
• Effective use of rainfall
• Rainfall is not evenly distributed throughout the year
• It can be considered if it can be used by the crops
• Every irrigation system’s requirement must be based on
some estimated effective rainfall. The higher the
percentage of effective rainfall, the smaller is the
irrigation watered required
 FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN PLANNING
FOR MORE EFFICIENT USE OF WATER IN
THE FIELD
• Drainage
• It is impossible to have 100% efficiency no matter how
well an irrigation system may be designed built and
operated and no matter carefully the irrigation water may
be applied
• Therefore a drainage system is always required
 FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN PLANNING
FOR MORE EFFICIENT USE OF WATER IN
THE FIELD
• Drainage
• Lack of drainage system leads to gradual rise in water
table, waterlogging,, salinity or alkalinity problems.
• Very important in growing vegetable crops
 FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN PLANNING
FOR MORE EFFICIENT USE OF WATER IN
THE FIELD
• Drainage
• It is impossible to have 100% efficiency no matter how
well an irrigation system may be designed built and
operated and no matter carefully the irrigation water may
be applied
• Therefore a drainage system is always required
 FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN PLANNING
FOR MORE EFFICIENT USE OF WATER IN
THE FIELD
• Uniform application
• Drainage
• It is impossible to have 100% efficiency no matter how
well an irrigation system may be designed built and
operated and no matter carefully the irrigation water may
be applied
• Therefore a drainage system is always required
 WATER MANAGEMENT OF SOME
VEGETABLE CROPS
• Onion and Garlic
• Shallow-rooted cops with roots not extending beyond 30
cm and bulbs forming close to the soil surface
• Require moderately wet soil
• In Ilocos, farmers plant these crop after the wet season
rice into the soil with the use of forefinger or a pointed
stick. Water is then applied into the newly planted field
either by surface irrigation or by hand sprinkling
 WATER MANAGEMENT OF SOME
VEGETABLE CROPS
• Onion and Garlic
• In Nueva Ecija, raised beds about a foot wide spaced
between beds which may be used to irrigate of drain the
land.
• Studies showed that yield of onion was highest when the
soil moisture was allowed to drop only about 80% of the
readily available moisture.
 WATER MANAGEMENT OF SOME
VEGETABLE CROPS
• Cabbages
• Requires moderately high soil moisture during most of its
growing season.
• Onion and Garlic
• In Nueva Ecija, raised beds about a foot wide spaced between
beds which may be used to irrigate of drain the land.
• Studies showed that yield of onion was highest when the soil
moisture was allowed to drop only about 80% of the readily
available moisture.
 The Hanging Gardens of
Babylon

The floating Gardens

of the Aztecs of Mexico
 HISTORY OF HYDROPONICS

Controlled environment
agriculture (CEA) first
used for growing under
mica in 1st century

Greenhouses &
experimental hydroponics
appeared during 17th
century
HISTORY OF HYDROPONICS

US 1925-1935
 New Jersey Agricultural
Experiment Station improved
sand culture method
 California Agricultural
Experiment Station used sand
culture methods for large scale
production
 WICK SYSTEM

The Wick system is by far the simplest type of hydroponic
system. This is a passive system, which means there are no
moving parts. The nutrient solution is drawn into the growing
medium from the reservoir with a wick.

The biggest draw back of this system is that plants that are
large or use large amounts of water may use up the nutrient
solution faster than the wick(s) can supply it.
 WATER CULTURE

The water culture system is the
simplest of all active hydroponic
systems. The platform that holds the
plants is usually made of Styrofoam
and floats directly on the nutrient
solution. An air pump supplies air to
the air stone that bubbles the nutrient
solution and supplies oxygen to the
roots of the plants.

The biggest draw back of this kind of system is that

it doesn't work well with large plants or with long-term
plants.
EBB & FLOW SYSTEM ON/OFF
 DRIP SYSTEM

Drip systems are probably the most widely used type of
hydroponic system in the world. Operation is simple, a
timer controls a submersed pump. The timer turns the
pump on and nutrient solution is dripped onto the base
of each plant by a small drip line.
NUTRIENT FILM SYSTEMS


Constant flow of
nutrient solution
through growing tray


Roots are inside bag
and hang in air when
no solution recycled
 N)UTRIENT (F)ILM (T)ECHNIQUE

The nutrient solution is pumped into the growing tray (usually
a tube) and flows over the roots of the plants, and then drains
back into the reservoir.
There is usually no growing medium used other than air,
which saves the expense of replacing the growing medium after
every crop. Normally the plant is supported in a small plastic
basket with the roots dangling into the nutrient solution.
N.F.T. systems are very
susceptible to power outages
and pump failures. The roots
dry out very rapidly when the
flow of nutrient solution is
interrupted.
AEROPONIC SYSTEMS

Nutrient solution
sprayed onto roots in
chambers where roots
are suspended

Used at Epcot Center
at Disney World
 AEROPONIC

The aeroponic system is probably the most high-tech type of
hydroponic gardening. The roots hang in the air and are
misted with nutrient solution. The mistings are usually done
every few minutes. The aeroponic system needs a short
cycle timer unlike other systems that runs the pump for a
few seconds every couple of minutes.

Because the roots are exposed to the air like the N.F.T.
system, the roots will dry out rapidly if the misting cycles
are interrupted.
 CONTINUOUS DRIP SYSTEMS

Most popular

Nutrient solution
dripped out to based
of plant
HYDROPONIC SYSTEM (DRAINAGE)

check the system for
proper drainage before,
during, and after plant
growth. Many times roots
and loose pipe fittings
are to blame for water
damage/ overflow.
Maintenance of this
system is crucial because
water can do so much
damage
HYDROPONIC SYSTEM (PH LEVEL)

monitor the system for
appropriate pH level
during plant growth.
Students will manage the
system by adjusting the
pH levels. Good pH levels
for vegetable growth can
be found in Hydroponics
packet, 5.5-6.0.
HYDROPONIC SYSTEM (LIGHT)

manage the light system.
They will need to check
for proper travel on the
rail so the entire system
receives light. Checking
for a good bulb needs to
be done under
supervision because of
the intense heat and
danger of glass.
SALAMAT