Tswn-Syau Tsay and Shen-Haw Ju
Sprinkler irrigation, deficit irrigation, infiltration simulations
Recent field research has indicated that deficit irrigation is appropriate for supplying water to crops under the problem of water scarcity. Deficit irrigation is to control the moisture content above some tolerable value without affecting crop yields. Sprinkler irrigation, one of the deficit irrigation, is considered in this research. The objectives of this study are to determine the minimum sprinkler irrigation time of the studied field – Taidong, Taiwan, to satisfy deficit irri- gation and to identify the tested sprinkler irrigation characteristics about moisture content variation using numerical simulations. In this study, precipitation rate tests for the three different sprinklers were performed. A soil characteristic curve in the studied field was conducted and an axial-symmetric finite element model was modified from a verified model. The moisture content development versus time owing to sprinkler irrigation was simulated. The results indicated that the tested sprinklers sufficiently supply water within a 6-m long and 1-m deep domain during an irrigation period of 86,400 s when the initial moisture content is larger than that of the permanent wilting point. The results are helpful for the rotational irrigation policy making in Taidong, Taiwan.
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