Two field experiments were carried out at Giza Agriculture Research Station during the two growing seasons of 2010/2011 and 2011/2012. This investigation was aired to study the effect of different levels of irrigation i.e. irrigation at 100, 80 and 60% ETO with the soil conditioner such as compost and humic acid on Egyptian clover variety (Fahl) yield, yield components and crop - water relations. The experimental treatments were arranged in a split plot design with three replicates. The main plots represented three irrigation regimes, whereas the sub-main plots represented the test soil conditioners i.e. compost at a rate of 6 ton/fad and humic acid sprayed as 2% v/v solution three times in 15- day interval starting at sowing. The main results could be summarized as follows:-
Irrigation regimes had a significant effect on growth traits, yield and yield components of clover crop and maximum values were obtained with irrigation at 100% ET0 (wet regime). On the contrary, minimum values for the corresponding respective characters were recorded with irrigation at 60% ET0 (dry regime). It could be stated that all growth, yield and yield components traits were significantly increased due to applying the assessed soil conditioners, compared with the control.
- Seasonal applied water increased as irrigation rate increased, where the values were 1010, 808 and 606 m3fad-1 in 1st season and 1069, 855 and 641 m3fad-1 in 2nd season, respectively, with 100, 80 and 60% ET0 irrigation regimes. In addition, applied water was slightly increased due to the tested soil conditioners.
- Water Utilization Efficiency was enhanced under irrigation at 60% ET0 (dry regime) and both compost and similar trend was exhibited with humic acid application . Results showed that application of the tested soil conditioners increased total NPK content of mono -cut Egyptian clover plants and the soil after harvest as well, comparing with the control.