Performance evaluation of an automated drip irrigation system for cucumber in a controlled environment in Punjab, Pakistan | |
| Author | Usman, Ghulam |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.WM-20-11 |
| Subject(s) | Microirrigation--Pakistan--Punjab Microclimatology Cucumbers--Pakistan--Punjab |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering in Water Engineering and Management |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | The demand for new water saving techniques in irrigation is increasing. In order to produce “more crop per drop” exploring irrigation techniques to use less fresh water is a need. One of them is making agriculture in a manner of sense, which uses different type of sensors. The objective of the study was to evaluate an automated drip irrigation system to improve water productivity, water saving and energy consumption of the cucumber by controlling microclimatic variables in polytunnel (PT). The PT-1 & PT-2 (automated drip irrigation) was maintained at two different environments with temperatures (22-27 & 19-22 ±3-5°C, irrigating at field capacity of soil) using automation system and in PT-3 (drip irrigation) & PT-4 (furrow irrigation) temperature and irrigation was not controlled and followed as per farmer practice. The maximum yield of cucumber was (41.0 t/ha) in PT-1 and it was (11.2 t/ha & 18 t/ha) higher than PT-3 & PT-4. The maximum water saving w.r.t PT-4 & 3 was in PT-2 (71.6 % & 57.4 %). The difference in water saving in PT-1 & 2 w.r.t PT-4 & PT-3 was (4.5 % & 6.8 %) respectively, it was only due to more relative humidity in PT-2. The maximum water productivity was (19.3 t/ha) in PT-1 and it was (15.7 t/ha & 12.4 t/ha) higher than PT-4 & PT-3. The energy calculations were based on area of each polytunnel (9 m2). The total energy consumption in PT-1 was (1089.06 kWh), PT-2 was (978.19 kWh), PT-3 was (1.60 kWh) and PT-4 was (1.30 kWh). The minimum specific energy per unit of energy for one kg of cucumber was (0.060 kWh/kg) for PT-3. The maximum energy productivity was (16.763 kg/kWh) for PT-3. The minimum water footprints were (0.05 m3/kg) in PT-1. The maximum water-energy productivity was (1.39 kg/m3-kWh) in PT3. For the 1st scenario, at discount rate 8 % & market value of cucumber (0.3 $), maximum P/L ratio was (2.21) in PT-3 and in PT-1 was (0.7) which was not feasible but for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th scenario with same assumptions, PT-1was feasible for farmer to adopt. PT-1 is the best option to maximize the production by increasing water use efficiency and saving. |
| Year | 2020 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology (SET) |
| Department | Department of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering (DCIE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Water Engineering and Management (WM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Babel Mukand S.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Shanmugam, Mohana Sundaram;Shrestha, Sangam;Datta, Avishek;Yamin, Muhammad; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | World Bank/Punjab Agriculture Department, Pakistan; |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2020 |
| Contributor(s) | |