94
5.2.3.4 Water Conservation and Onion National Production
Cultivation on raised beds and application of deficit irrigation to onion resulted in
saving in the applied irrigation water by 99.7 and 30.1 million cubic meters, respectively, or 10 and 5% of the applied irrigation water to onion under traditional
cultivation.
We assumed that these amounts of water will not use to cultivated new areas with
onion, instead it will be used to irrigate new areas with other crops. Thus, the total
cultivated area cultivation on raised beds and application of deficit irrigation will be
the same as the cultivated area using traditional method, but its total production will
be increase to 3092.3 and 2937.7 million tons, or by 11 and 6% (Table 5.6), compared to the production attained under traditional cultivation of onion.
5.2.4 Water Productivity of Onion Under the Studied
Production Alternatives
Table 5.7 presented water productivity of onion under the studied five production
alternatives. It worth noting that the total production of onion under traditional cultivation, as well as under raised beds cultivation and deficit irrigation application
with added new areas will be produced using the same amount of applied irrigation
water under traditional cultivation. The results in Table 5.7 showed that the traditional cultivation of onion will attain the lowest average water productivity on the
national level, namely 3.6 kg/ha. The highest average national water productivity
value will be attained under raised beds cultivation and the saved water will be used
to cultivate new areas and application of deficit irrigation and the saved water will
not be used to cultivate new areas, namely 4.4 kg/ha.
Table 5.7 also showed that, in Alexandria governorate, there was no difference
between the values of water productivity when raised beds cultivation was applied,
either under taking into account added area or without taking it into account. This
result attributed to low cultivated area in the old lands, where raised beds cultivation
is applied. Furthermore, the highest water productivity was found in Behira governorate as a result of high productivity per hectare in the old lands.
5.3 Winter Tomato Production and Deficit Irrigation
Winter tomato is very important vegetable crop in Egypt in term of local consumption and exportation. It constitutes an important source of potassium, vitamins E and
C, and oleic acid (Ali and Ismail 2014). Tomato grows tap deep strong root systems,
which facilitate the absorption of soil moisture from deeper layers. Furthermore, the
roots of tomato leave the soil in a good mechanical condition for the following crop
(Pressman et al. 1997).
S. Ouda et al.
5.2.3.4 Water Conservation and Onion National Production
Cultivation on raised beds and application of deficit irrigation to onion resulted in
saving in the applied irrigation water by 99.7 and 30.1 million cubic meters, respectively, or 10 and 5% of the applied irrigation water to onion under traditional
cultivation.
We assumed that these amounts of water will not use to cultivated new areas with
onion, instead it will be used to irrigate new areas with other crops. Thus, the total
cultivated area cultivation on raised beds and application of deficit irrigation will be
the same as the cultivated area using traditional method, but its total production will
be increase to 3092.3 and 2937.7 million tons, or by 11 and 6% (Table 5.6), compared to the production attained under traditional cultivation of onion.
5.2.4 Water Productivity of Onion Under the Studied
Production Alternatives
Table 5.7 presented water productivity of onion under the studied five production
alternatives. It worth noting that the total production of onion under traditional cultivation, as well as under raised beds cultivation and deficit irrigation application
with added new areas will be produced using the same amount of applied irrigation
water under traditional cultivation. The results in Table 5.7 showed that the traditional cultivation of onion will attain the lowest average water productivity on the
national level, namely 3.6 kg/ha. The highest average national water productivity
value will be attained under raised beds cultivation and the saved water will be used
to cultivate new areas and application of deficit irrigation and the saved water will
not be used to cultivate new areas, namely 4.4 kg/ha.
Table 5.7 also showed that, in Alexandria governorate, there was no difference
between the values of water productivity when raised beds cultivation was applied,
either under taking into account added area or without taking it into account. This
result attributed to low cultivated area in the old lands, where raised beds cultivation
is applied. Furthermore, the highest water productivity was found in Behira governorate as a result of high productivity per hectare in the old lands.
5.3 Winter Tomato Production and Deficit Irrigation
Winter tomato is very important vegetable crop in Egypt in term of local consumption and exportation. It constitutes an important source of potassium, vitamins E and
C, and oleic acid (Ali and Ismail 2014). Tomato grows tap deep strong root systems,
which facilitate the absorption of soil moisture from deeper layers. Furthermore, the
roots of tomato leave the soil in a good mechanical condition for the following crop
(Pressman et al. 1997).
S. Ouda et al.