Effect of Deficit Irrigation Strategies and Fertigation Timing on Yield, Water Productivity and Quality of Green Beans Under Dry Sandy Areas

Abstract

The aim of the research study was to increase productivity, water productivity and crop quality under conditions of irrigation deficit and water scarcity. To achieve this goal, an experimental design was carried out for the seasons 2022 and 2023 to study the effect of irrigation deficit strategies and the most appropriate timing for fertilization on productivity, water productivity and quality of green bean crop under dry sandy soil conditions in the Nubaria region of Egypt. The results of the statistical analysis of the experimental data concluded that: (1) The highest values of green bean crop productivity were achieved when irrigated with 100% or 75% of Full Irrigation (FI) and with fertilization timing 3 hours after irrigation. This may be due to the increase in moisture content and
decrease in water stress values with increase in nutrient concentration in the root zone, which led to increase in water and nutrient absorption and consequently increase in green bean crop productivity values compared to other treatments. (2) The highest values of water productivity of green beans were achieved when irrigated with 100% or 75% FI with fertilization timing after 3 hours of irrigation. The reason behind this was achieving the highest values of crop productivity of beans when irrigated with 100% or 75% FI, while the volume of irrigation water added when irrigated with 75% FI was less. As a result, the strategy of irrigation at 75% FI was adopted when irrigating green beans in order to save 25% of fresh irrigation water for planting other areas similar to the same conditions. (3) An improvement and increase in the quality characteristics of green bean pods at 100% and 75% FI and with the best fertilization time, which is 3 hours after irrigation. This may be due to the decrease in moisture stress values and the increase in the concentration of nutrients in the root spread area, which led to an increase in water and nutrients absorption, thus improving the quality characteristics of green bean pods compared to other treatments.