Effect Of Different Irrigation Water Regime On Cucumber Yield And Water Use Under Sprinkler System

A research study was conducted on irrigation research field in National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization, NCAM, Ilorin, Nigeria to determine the effect of different irrigation water regime on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) yield, water use efficiency and irrigation water use efficiency. Cucumber grown under field condition using sprinkler irrigation system on an irrigation research field showed good production responses. Yield of cucumber was reasonably appreciable when the crop was administered with a total quantity of 100 % of crop water need at different sensitivity stages. The treatment with minimum irrigation water applied had the lowest productions with the fruits showing irregular and oblong shapes instead of usual shapes. Fresh fruit yields were highly influenced by the total volume of irrigation water at every growth stage. From the analysis of the result carried out, it was established that the fresh yield of cucumber decreases when irrigation water applied falls below optimum crop water need. The water use efficiency was directly related to the fresh fruit yield, while the irrigation water use efficiency was inversely related to crop evapotranspiration as evident from establishment stage to vegetative stage of cucumber production.