Increasing Water Use Efficiency of Irrigated Rice through Water Saving Techniques in Yobe Basin, North East, Nigeria

Increasing world population and dwindling water resources is exerting pressure to develop strategies for producing more food using less water.

Aims: To investigate the effect of different irrigation schedules on grain yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of FARO 44 rice variety.

Study Design: The research was laid out in a split plot arrangement. Twelve treatments replicated three time comprising of 3 irrigation intervals as main plot and 4 irrigation depth as sub plot.

Place and Duration of Study: Gashua, Yobe State on the floodplains of river Yobe, Nigeria between March 2023 and July 2023.

Methodology: Comprised of 3, 5 and 7 days irrigation intervals as main plot, with irrigation depth (amount) at 100% of crop water requirement (ETc), 85% of ETc, 70% of ETc and the farmers flooding practice as the sub plot treatments. Some growth, yield and components of the rice were determined. Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) and Crop evapotranspiration (ETc) were computed using Cropwat model. Crop and irrigation water use efficiencies were also calculated.

Results: The 3 days irrigation interval produced the maximum growth parameters of rice along with both application of 100% of crop water requirement and the traditional flooding type of irrigation. The interaction of 3 days irrigation interval and 100%ETc and 85% of ETc significantly produced the highest grain yield (6484.85 kg ha-1.) 3 and 5 days irrigation interval with 100% and 85% of ETc irrigation depths significantly produced the highest water use efficiencies. A well fitted linear relationship (R2 = 0.834) existed between the irrigation scenarios and the rice grain yield.

Conclusion: It can be concluded that irrigation frequency and amount can be reduced to arrive at highly acceptable yield in the study area. High rice yield can be maintained with 3 days irrigation interval and 85% of the crop water requirement and also improve its water use efficiency.