WATER-USE AND YIELDS OF SUGAR-BEET GROWN UNDER EVERY-OTHER-FURROW IRRIGATION WITH DIFFERENT IRRIGATION INTERVALS

The water stress effects of every-other-furrow irrigation on yield may be alleviated by more frequent irrigation intervals. This research wa s conducted to determine yield and water use efficiency of sugarbeet u nder every-other-furrow and every-furrow irrigations at different irri gation intervals. Every-other-furrow irrigation (EOFI) at 10-day irrig ation intervals used a smaller amount of irrigation water, bur some yi eld reduction occurred. However, frequent EOFI at 6-day intervals prod uced a similar root yield to that of every-furrow irrigation (EFI) at 10-day intervals and saved an average of 23% of irrigation water. Also , 73% relative applied water may produce 16% more yield if water was a pplied as EOFI rather than as EFI. Furthermore, an average of 43% high er water use efficiency was obtained in more frequent EOFI compared wi th EFI at less frequent intervals. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.