TITLE:
Comparison between Hydro-Flume and Open Field Head Ditch Irrigation Systems at Kenana Sugar Scheme, Sudan
AUTHORS:
Daffa Alla M. Abdel, Wahab Ali M. Adeeb
KEYWORDS:
Irrigation, Sugarcane, Gated Pipe, Hydro-Flume, Furrow, Application Efficiency, Percolation
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.5 No.7,
June
10,
2014
ABSTRACT: A study was
undertaken in Kenana Sugar Scheme, Sudan during 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 seasons.
In this study, the gated pipe (hydro-flume) for ?furrow
irrigation was compared with the conventional open field head ditch irrigation
system concerning the volume of irrigation water applied to the field,
irrigation efficiencies, the time of cutoff, water and irrigation time saved
and the irrigation production efficiency (IPE). To achieve these objectives,
two commercial cane fields having the same furrow lengths (2100 m) and slopes
were chosen. The study shows that in the open field head ditch irrigation, the
irrigation water added was 69.1 mm in the top, 75.7 mm in the ?middle and 66.1 mm in the end of the furrow.
Whereas, the irrigation water added in the gated pipe system was 132.7 mm, 46.1
mm and 101.9 mm, respectively. The present
study indicates that the gated-pipe system has a high value of application
efficiency (79% - 88%) compared with the open field head ditch (69% - 71%). The
percent of deep percolation (PDP) for the gated-pipe system is greater than the
PDP obtained under open field head ditch irrigation conditions. Also the
percent of runoff (PRO) is higher under the open field head ditch system and
the water conveyance efficiency for the open field head ditch is 88%. While the
gated pipe needs more advance time but can save 20 to 65 m3 of
water/irrigation cycle with better uniformity coefficient (CU) and irrigation
production efficiency (IPE) compared with the open field head ditch. From the
above mentioned results, it is concluded that under Kenana conditions the
gated-pipe system is better than the open field head ditch irrigation system
keeping in mind that for more uniform water distribution through irrigated
furrows of the long fields of Kenana, increased pressure head at the inlet
and/or larger openings of the hydro-flume gates may be necessary.