Irrigated Vegetable Production and Conservation Practices ... · Irrigated Vegetable Production and...
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Acknowledgements Conclusion Introduction Objectives Methodology Results Irrigated Vegetable Production and Conservation Practices for Improved Food Security in CARICOM Region Carvalho, R. M. P. de 1 , Madramootoo, C.A 2 1 Research Assistant – CARICOM CIFSRF Project; 2 Dean, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University McGill Institute for Global Food Security, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Macdonald Campus, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec Water, both in excess and in deficit, is a constraint to food security in the Caribbean Region. Improved water management, water conservation and drip irrigation have the potential to ensure a continuous year-round supply of fresh fruits and vegetables, in order to improve the dietary intake and health of the Caribbean population. With the goal to improve the nutrition and health of CARICOM (Caribbean community) populations, a field study on soil moisture measurement and management, advanced irrigation scheduling technologies, and drip irrigation is being piloted through the CARICOM CIFSRF project. The main objective is to verify if the introduction of drip irrigation systems together with mulching improve agricultural production by raising crop yields on small farms. The design of the experiment is a Complete Randomized Block with 3 treatments and 3 repetitions. For the first experiment, the three treatments applied are 100% of Available Water Content (AWC), 80% of AWC and Farmer Management (FM). For the second experiment the three treatment applied are without mulching (WM), plastic mulching (PM) and Straw (S). 12 different vegetable crops have so far been studied, in order to test the water management interventions. Soil moisture sensors were installed on the pilot sites for irrigation scheduling. Irrigation schedules were developed based on soil property measurements and crop type. Irrigation design in Guyana Source: World atlas 2013 The irrigation studies started in 2011, and extensive field measurements have so far been conducted in Guyana and St. Kitts. Crops grown include tomato, melons, string beans, cabbage, bora, egg-plant, peppers, cucumbers, carrots and pumpkin. Soil moisture sensors were installed on the pilot sites in Guyana and St. Kitts for irrigation scheduling. Irrigation schedules were developed based on soil property measurements and crop type. Soil water retention apparatus Drip-irrigation installation in St. Kitts Soil sampling Soil moisture monitoring equipment String beans harvesting in St. Kitts This work was carried out with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Center (IDRC), Ottawa, Canada, www.idrc.ca, and with financial support from the Government of Canada, provided through Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD), www.international.gc.ca Special thanks for Dr.Oudho Homemauth and NAREI staff , Illis Watts and Ministry of Agriculture staff of St. Kitts for their collaboration and essential assistance on the countries, as well as Dr. Felix Jaria, Dr. Alaba Boluwade, Kenton Olliverre,, M.Sc. Candidate Naresh Gaj and Sharon Campbell for their unswerving help. Contact: [email protected] In St. Kitts for Tomato (S. lycospersicum) String beans (P. vulgaris) and Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) the results showed a yield increase of 230%, 209% and 770%, respectively. In Guyana, due to wetter conditions, the drip-irrigations systems were not used for all crop seasons. In Guyana, the highest yield increase of 33% due to irrigation was found with Red Beans (P. vulgaris). Bora (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis) was the only crop that showed statistical difference at 95% confidence level between the treatments. The Treatment 3 - 100% AWC - showed the best yield results. Moreover, the experiment showed statistical differences between the FM and both drip-irrigation treatments. Pilot project in a clockwise sense Tomato (STK), Cabbage (STK), Bora (GUY) and Red pepper (GUY) The different mulching did not show statistical difference between treatments at 95% confidence level. However, highest yield was found with Straw treatment. 5753 7046 7563 5000 5500 6000 6500 7000 7500 8000 Farmer Management 80% of AWC 100% of AWC Pods yield (Kg/ha) Bora yield (Kg/ha) - Guyana Farmer Management 80% of AWC 100% of AWC 780 885 1742 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000 Without mulching Plastic mulching Straw Fruits (Kg/ha) Tomato yield (Kg/ka) - Guyana Without mulching Plastic mulching Straw 15536 5872 6278 1814 24167 11994 6720 2800 815 1040 16800 11200 0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 Crop yield (Kg/ha) St. Kitts - Comparative yield (Kg/ha) Irrigated Not irrigated 15203 18460 28834 2374 39787 14581 17127 27027 1778 39150 0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000 40000 45000 Bora Tomato Eggplant Red beans Sweet peppers Crop yield Kg/ha) Guyana - Comparative project yield (Kg/ha) Irrigated Not irrigated Project website: www.mcgill.ca/globalfoodsecurity/research- initiatives/caricom-project Conclusion
Transcript of Irrigated Vegetable Production and Conservation Practices ... · Irrigated Vegetable Production and...
Acknowledgements
Conclusion
Introduction
Objectives
Methodology
Results
Irrigated Vegetable Production and Conservation Practices for Improved Food Security in CARICOM Region
Carvalho, R. M. P. de1, Madramootoo, C.A2 1Research Assistant – CARICOM CIFSRF Project; 2Dean, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University McGill Institute for Global Food Security, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Macdonald Campus, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec
Water, both in excess and in deficit, is a constraint to food
security in the Caribbean Region. Improved water
management, water conservation and drip irrigation have the
potential to ensure a continuous year-round supply of fresh
fruits and vegetables, in order to improve the dietary intake
and health of the Caribbean population.
With the goal to improve the nutrition and health of CARICOM (Caribbean community) populations, a field study on soil moisture measurement and management, advanced irrigation scheduling technologies, and drip irrigation is being piloted through the CARICOM CIFSRF project.
The main objective is to verify if the introduction of drip
irrigation systems together with mulching improve
agricultural production by raising crop yields on small farms.
The design of the experiment is a Complete Randomized Block with 3 treatments and 3 repetitions.
For the first experiment, the three treatments applied are 100% of Available Water Content (AWC), 80% of AWC and Farmer Management (FM).
For the second experiment the three treatment applied are without mulching (WM), plastic mulching (PM) and Straw (S).
12 different vegetable crops have so far been studied, in order to test the water management interventions.
Soil moisture sensors were installed on the pilot sites for irrigation scheduling. Irrigation schedules were developed based on soil property measurements and crop type.
Irrigation design in Guyana
Source: World atlas 2013
The irrigation studies started in 2011, and extensive field measurements have so far been conducted in Guyana and St. Kitts. Crops grown include tomato, melons, string beans, cabbage, bora, egg-plant, peppers, cucumbers, carrots and pumpkin. Soil moisture sensors were installed on the pilot sites in Guyana and St. Kitts for irrigation scheduling. Irrigation schedules were developed based on soil property measurements and crop type.
Soil water retention apparatus
Drip-irrigation installation in St. Kitts
Soil sampling
Soil moisture monitoring
Soil moisture equipment Pro-check
String beans harvesting in St. Kitts
This work was carried out with the aid of a grant from the International Development Research Center (IDRC), Ottawa, Canada, www.idrc.ca, and with financial support from the Government of Canada, provided through Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD), www.international.gc.ca Special thanks for Dr.Oudho Homemauth and NAREI staff , Illis Watts and Ministry of Agriculture staff of St. Kitts for their collaboration and essential assistance on the countries, as well as Dr. Felix Jaria, Dr. Alaba Boluwade, Kenton Olliverre,, M.Sc. Candidate Naresh Gaj and Sharon Campbell for their unswerving help.
Contact: [email protected]
In St. Kitts for Tomato (S. lycospersicum) String beans (P. vulgaris) and Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) the results showed a yield increase of 230%, 209% and 770%, respectively.
In Guyana, due to wetter conditions, the drip-irrigations systems were not used for all crop seasons.
In Guyana, the highest yield increase of 33% due to irrigation was found with Red Beans (P. vulgaris).
Bora (Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis) was the only crop that showed statistical difference at 95% confidence level between the treatments. The Treatment 3 - 100% AWC - showed the best yield results. Moreover, the experiment showed statistical differences between the FM and both drip-irrigation treatments.
Pilot project in a clockwise sense Tomato (STK), Cabbage (STK), Bora (GUY) and Red pepper (GUY)
The different mulching did not show statistical difference between treatments at 95% confidence level. However, highest yield was found with Straw treatment.
5753
7046
7563
5000
5500
6000
6500
7000
7500
8000
FarmerManagement
80% of AWC 100% of AWC
Po
ds
yie
ld (
Kg/
ha)
Bora yield (Kg/ha) - Guyana
Farmer Management 80% of AWC 100% of AWC
780 885
1742
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
Without mulching Plastic mulching Straw
Fru
its
(Kg/
ha)
Tomato yield (Kg/ka) - Guyana
Without mulching Plastic mulching Straw
15536
5872 6278
1814
24167
11994
6720
2800 815 1040
16800
11200
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
Cro
p y
ield
(K
g/h
a)
St. Kitts - Comparative yield (Kg/ha)
Irrigated Not irrigated
15203 18460
28834
2374
39787
14581 17127
27027
1778
39150
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
45000
Bora Tomato Eggplant Red beans Sweetpeppers
Cro
p y
ield
Kg/
ha)
Guyana - Comparative project yield (Kg/ha)
Irrigated Not irrigated
Project website: www.mcgill.ca/globalfoodsecurity/research-initiatives/caricom-project
Conclusion
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