Effect of pipes installation by modified machine for subsurface drip irrigation system on maize crop yield costs

Abstract

The machine of pipes installation of subsurface drip irrigation systems was tested and studied at the Abu-Ghalib farms production (private farm), El-Giza Governorate, Egypt, in growing summer season 2017.  The goal of this research was to study the technical and economical evaluation of the installation subsurface pipes for drip irrigation system by Manual method (M) as control, Semi-Mechanical method (SM), and Quad-Raw Machine method (QRM) using different lateral spacing.  The QRM method of installation is powered by tractor, the SM method consists of three steps: firstly, the drill plow is drilled under the soil using the tractor, then the pipes are extended in the holes by the labors, and the M method of installation is by labors only for all steps for installation subsurface drip irrigation at different lateral spacing (0.6, 1.0, and 1.4 m) on cost analysis for maize crop production.  Production costs of corn crop in US Dollar ($), results showed that net profits were higher by using sub-surface drip system with SM method exceeded 10% for the drip surface irrigation system M method.  Value of the net income of the economic unit of irrigation water used ($ m^-3) was the highest with using drip sub-surface irrigation SM method and QRM method compared to the surface drip system by 50% and 51% under both.  Value of the net income from the physical unit of irrigation water used (kg m^-3) were increased by 6.6% and 5.2% with subsurface drip irrigation SM method, QRM method relative to surface drip irrigation system QRM.  Authors recommend using sub-surface drip irrigation designs (SM method and QRM method) using different lateral spacing machine installation because it had improved the maize yield and stover production, net profit, and the physical income.