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Research on Crops

Optimising productivity and water use efficiency of potato and faba bean intercropping through secondary tillage implements under arid regions


DOI: 10.31830/2348-7542.2025.ROC-1240    | Article Id: ROC-1240 | Page : 618-625
Citation :- Optimising productivity and water use efficiency of potato and faba bean intercropping through secondary tillage implements under arid regions. Res. Crop. 26: 618-625
ALAA SALIH ATI, HADEEL A. WAHAIB AND SHAIMA SAMI DAWOD alaa.salih@coagri.uobaghdad.edu.iq
Address : College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
Submitted Date : 14-09-2025
Accepted Date : 3-11-2025
Online Published:

Abstract

Water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions demands efficient irrigation and soil management to sustain crop production. Investigating the effect of different soil equipment on the productivity and water use efficiency of intercropped potato and faba bean can optimise water utilisation, minimise losses, and improve yield under modern sustainable agricultural practices. To further investigate, a field experiment was conducted during the 2024-25 growing seasons in Al-Rasheed sub-district to evaluate the effect of different soil equipment on the productivity and water use efficiency of intercropped potato and faba bean. The study aimed to optimise irrigation scheduling and identify the best tillage method under intercropping conditions in arid regions using drip irrigation. The field was arranged in a Randomised Complete Block Design with three replicates, and irrigation was scheduled based on soil moisture depletion levels (35% and 40% of available water), monitored by GS3 soil moisture sensors. Results showed the seasonal water consumption of potato was 293 mm, 315 mm and 335 mm under the rotary tiller, disc harrow, and cultivator treatments, respectively, during the 2024 autumn season, with a crop growth duration of 93 days, while the seasonal water consumption of faba bean under the same treatments, which was 535 mm, 472 mm, and 500 mm under the rotary tiller, disc harrow, and cultivator, respectively, during the 2024-25 season, with a growth duration of 141 days. The results indicate the presence of statistically significant differences in FWUE values depending on the type of tillage equipment (reduced tillage). For potato, the rotary treatment resulted in the highest field water use efficiency, reaching 37.56 kg/m³, with an increase of 22.58% and 65% compared to the disc harrow and cultivator treatments, respectively. In contrast, the disc harrow treatment produced the highest FWUE for faba bean, with a value of 0.50 kg/m³, representing an increase of 31.57% and 56.25% over the rotary tiller and cultivator treatments, respectively.

Keywords

Drip irrigation irrigation scheduling reduced tillage use efficiency

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