The Influence of Drip Fertigation on Water Use Efficiency in Tomato Crop Production

The primary objective of this study was to determine the best irrigation and fertigation practice for tomato crop (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) in order to achieve highest yield with maximum water use efficiency (WUE). The field experiments were conducted during the period of May to September in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Five experimental treatments tested in this study included the following: the first three treatments (T1, T2, and T3) included a combination of drip irrigation and fertigation, treatment four (T4) included drip irrigation, but with conventional application of fertilizer, and the fifth treatment, (T5), included furrow irrigation practice with conventional application of fertilizer. The results of this study show that the drip fertigation treatments (T1, T2, and T3) gave significantly higher tomato yields in comparison with treatments T4 and T5, almost 24% and 39%. During three years of research treatments under drip fertigation showed almost 28% more water use efficiency in comparison with the treatment with conventional application of fertilizer and drip irrigation and 87% more than the treatment with furrow irrigation and conventional application of fertilizer. So, it is clear that the drip fertigation led to an increased yield, indicating enhanced water use efficiency.