Role of Irrigation Method and Bitumen in Improvement of soil physical Characteristics and Yield of Corn
Year: 2008
Type: article
Abstract: A field experiment was conducted to investigate the role of irrigation method and bitumen (petroleum derived product) in improvement of soil physical characteristic and yield of corn at the Gypsiferous Soil Experimental Station in Aldoor, 200 km Northeast Baghdad, Iraq. Irrigation was practiced by there methods: surface, sprinkler, and drip. Bitumen was mixed with the upper 15 cm of soil surface at concentration of 0.5% on soil mass basis. A split-split plot in RCBD with four replicates was used in which the main plots were assigned for the irrigation treatment, subplots for the cultivation, and the sub-sub plots for bitumen treatment. Irrigation was accomplished based on evaporation of class-A pan. In general, results indicated that the application of bitumen improved soil characteristic and increased yield. Interaction between irrigation, cultivation and bitumen increased (MWD). Values of soil bulk density increased by 1.12, 5.7 with sprinkler and drip irrigation respectively comparing with surface irrigation. Significant interaction observed between irrigation and bitumen by its effects on the values of sub surface, the heights value, and on the other hand the lowest value was 0.725 cm/hr. Infiltration rate increased under sprinkler and drip irrigation, average infiltration rate increased under circumstance use of drip, sprinkler and surface irrigation. Addition of bitumen was improved subsurface hydraulic conductivity by 102% compared with no bitumen addition. Significant decreases observed with infiltration and average infiltration rate as result of bitumen uses. On the other hand the values of average infiltration rate for cultivated, none cultivated increased under uses of drip, sprinkler and surface irrigation. Grain yield was 4.6 and 3.68 ton/ha with surface drip, and sprinkler irrigation, respectively. Grain yield was superior with the addition of bitumen by 32% compared with not bitumen application.
Source: Iraqi Journal of Desert Studies
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W3121215503