Water management has become a crucial issue particularly in arid and semi
arid zones that are characterized by scarce, or limited, water resources. Egypt is no
exception from other countries that lie in these zones. Unless strict measures are
taken to maintain sustainability of irrigation. we will face a water problem in the near
future. it is therefore deemed necessary that Egypt find out ways, and techniques to
develop, control, manage, and use their water resources more efficiently in order to
meet the growing demand for water.
Two field experiments were carried out during summer seasons of 2002 and
2003 to study the effect of irrigation in two directions and cut back stream on maize
yield and water saving at El Karada water requirement, Research station, Kafer El
Sheik Governorate, Water Management and irrigation Systems Research institute,
National Water Research. The treatments of irrigation in two-direction and cut back
stream when water reached the end and 90% of the furrow was the best individual or
combination treatments for obtaining maximum grain yield results indicated that
ā water could be saved as an average of 268.64 maffed (9.66%), 567.45 maffed,
(20.54 %) and 778. malted. (28.18%) with applying irrigation water under cut back
stream when water reached the 90%, 80% and 70% of the furrow length
respectively.
- The water consumptive use increased as the applied irrigation water increased.
- irrigation application efficiency and water utilization were the highest using irrigation
in two directions and cutback stream when water reached 70% of the furrow length,
while the highest crop water use efficiency was found with cut back stream when
water reached 80% of the furrow length.
- The maximum values of total income, total return, water productivity and economic
efficiency obtained from plants grown under irrigation in two directions with cut back
stream when water reached 90% of the furrow length.
Results help to suggest that using cut back stream when water reached 90
% of the furrow length can save water irrigation with amount of (268.64 mailed.)
15.513960 million m [area (57750 feddan) under Kafer El sheikh conditions. These
quantities of saving water enough to cultivate area of about 5601 97 feddans under
kafer el shiekh conditions