IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jagris/v6y2016i4p62-d83595.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustaining Chili Pepper Production in Afghanistan through Better Irrigation Practices and Management

Author

Listed:
  • S. Alan Walters

    (Department of Plant, Soil, and Agricultural Systems, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA)

  • Ajay K. Jha

    (Institute for Global Agriculture & Technology Transfer (IGATT), Fort Collins, CO 80528, USA)

Abstract

Water management and utilization is an ongoing problem in developing countries with semi-arid to arid climates such as Afghanistan. The lack of effective irrigation systems are oftentimes the most limiting factor for maximizing agricultural productivity in these countries. In Afghanistan, the most widely used irrigation methods are basin/border for cereal crops and furrow for vegetables and grapes, although drip irrigation is a technology that could be used to significantly improve water use efficiency (WUE) in horticultural crop production. Therefore, three irrigation methods (basin, furrow, and drip) were evaluated for their influences on chili pepper production and WUE at the Afghanistan Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL) Badam Bagh Agricultural Research and Demonstration Farm in Kabul over the 2009 and 2010 growing seasons. Results from this study indicated that both drip and furrow irrigation provided similar high chili pepper plant growth and yield responses compared to the low amounts provided by basin irrigation ( p ≤ 0.05). The drip and furrow irrigation methods provided a similar low incidence of Phytophthora blight disease, as 4% and 7% of chili pepper plants were visually afflicted by this disease, respectively, while an astounding 69% of chili peppers grown with basin irrigation had symptoms of this disease. Drip irrigation resulted in the best overall WUE ( p ≤ 0.05), as this water delivery method utilized the least amount of water and provided the highest chili pepper yield. Furrow irrigation provided a lower WUE compared to drip, but was greater than that of basin irrigation. Although this study indicated that drip irrigation had the greatest WUE for chili pepper production, furrow irrigation is still the method of choice by farmers in Afghanistan to provide water to this crop. The associated costs with pressurized drip irrigation systems are too expensive for farmers to purchase and maintain, which has led to the widespread use of surface irrigation. Moreover, the resistance of growers to change to newer and more advanced technologies is commonplace in many developing countries, and without some type of improvement to current water management practices at the farm level, there is a bleak outlook to maximize agricultural productivity in these areas of the world with limited rainfall and minimal water resources. Although it is essential to sustain this important resource through better irrigation management practices, on-farm agricultural economics are often more important than the needs of future generations and the environment.

Suggested Citation

  • S. Alan Walters & Ajay K. Jha, 2016. "Sustaining Chili Pepper Production in Afghanistan through Better Irrigation Practices and Management," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-10, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:6:y:2016:i:4:p:62-:d:83595
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/6/4/62/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/6/4/62/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Passioura, John, 2006. "Increasing crop productivity when water is scarce--from breeding to field management," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 80(1-3), pages 176-196, February.
    2. Qureshi, A. S., 2002. "Water resources management in Afghanistan: The issues and options," IWMI Working Papers H031284, International Water Management Institute.
    3. Yuan, Bao-Zhong & Sun, Jie & Kang, Yaohu & Nishiyama, Soichi, 2006. "Response of cucumber to drip irrigation water under a rainshelter," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 81(1-2), pages 145-158, March.
    4. Tiwari, K. N. & Singh, Ajai & Mal, P. K., 2003. "Effect of drip irrigation on yield of cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata) under mulch and non-mulch conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 58(1), pages 19-28, January.
    5. Tiwari, K. N. & Mal, P. K. & Singh, R. M. & Chattopadhyay, A., 1998. "Response of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench.) to drip irrigation under mulch and non-mulch conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 91-102, December.
    6. Sezen, S. Metin & Yazar, Attila & Eker, Salim, 2006. "Effect of drip irrigation regimes on yield and quality of field grown bell pepper," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 81(1-2), pages 115-131, March.
    7. S. Alan Walters & John W. Groninger, 2014. "Water distribution systems and on-farm irrigation practices: limitations and consequences for Afghanistan's agricultural productivity," Water International, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 39(3), pages 348-359, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Çolak, Yeşim Bozkurt & Yazar, Attila & Gönen, Engin & Eroğlu, E. Çağlar, 2018. "Yield and quality response of surface and subsurface drip-irrigated eggplant and comparison of net returns," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 165-175.
    2. Gerçek, Sinan & Boydak, Erkan & Okant, Mustafa & Dikilitas, Murat, 2009. "Water pillow irrigation compared to furrow irrigation for soybean production in a semi-arid area," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(1), pages 87-92, January.
    3. Qin, Shujing & Li, Sien & Kang, Shaozhong & Du, Taisheng & Tong, Ling & Ding, Risheng & Wang, Yahui & Guo, Hui, 2019. "Transpiration of female and male parents of seed maize in northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 213(C), pages 397-409.
    4. Molden, David & Oweis, T. Y. & Pasquale, S. & Kijne, Jacob W. & Hanjra, M. A. & Bindraban, P. S. & Bouman, Bas A. M. & Cook, S. & Erenstein, O. & Farahani, H. & Hachum, A. & Hoogeveen, J. & Mahoo, Hen, 2007. "Pathways for increasing agricultural water productivity," Book Chapters,, International Water Management Institute.
    5. Mohammad Naser Sediqi & Mohammed Sanusi Shiru & Mohamed Salem Nashwan & Rawshan Ali & Shadan Abubaker & Xiaojun Wang & Kamal Ahmed & Shamsuddin Shahid & Md. Asaduzzaman & Sayed Mir Agha Manawi, 2019. "Spatio-Temporal Pattern in the Changes in Availability and Sustainability of Water Resources in Afghanistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-17, October.
    6. Gerçek, Sinan & Demirkaya, Mustafa & Işik, Doğan, 2017. "Water pillow irrigation versus drip irrigation with regard to growth and yield of tomato grown under greenhouse conditions in a semi-arid region," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 180(PA), pages 172-177.
    7. Li, Yi-Jie & Yuan, Bao-Zhong & Bie, Zhi-Long & Kang, Yaohu, 2012. "Effect of drip irrigation criteria on yield and quality of muskmelon grown in greenhouse conditions," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 30-35.
    8. Zeng, Chun-Zhi & Bie, Zhi-Long & Yuan, Bao-Zhong, 2009. "Determination of optimum irrigation water amount for drip-irrigated muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) in plastic greenhouse," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 96(4), pages 595-602, April.
    9. Al-Omran, A.M. & Sheta, A.S. & Falatah, A.M. & Al-Harbi, A.R., 2005. "Effect of drip irrigation on squash (Cucurbita pepo) yield and water-use efficiency in sandy calcareous soils amended with clay deposits," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 73(1), pages 43-55, April.
    10. Thind, H.S. & Aujla, M.S. & Buttar, G.S., 2008. "Response of cotton to various levels of nitrogen and water applied to normal and paired sown cotton under drip irrigation in relation to check-basin," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 95(1), pages 25-34, January.
    11. Rajak, Daleshwar & Manjunatha, M.V. & Rajkumar, G.R. & Hebbara, M. & Minhas, P.S., 2006. "Comparative effects of drip and furrow irrigation on the yield and water productivity of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in a saline and waterlogged vertisol," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 83(1-2), pages 30-36, May.
    12. C. Xu & D.I. Leskovar, 2014. "Growth, physiology and yield responses of cabbage to deficit irrigation," Horticultural Science, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 41(3), pages 138-146.
    13. Erdem, Tolga & ArIn, Levent & Erdem, Yesim & Polat, Serdar & Deveci, Murat & Okursoy, Hakan & Gültas, Hüseyin T., 2010. "Yield and quality response of drip irrigated broccoli (Brassica oleracea L. var. italica) under different irrigation regimes, nitrogen applications and cultivation periods," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 97(5), pages 681-688, May.
    14. Nandi, R. & Mondal, K. & Singh, K.C. & Saha, M. & Bandyopadhyay, P.K. & Ghosh, P.K., 2021. "Yield-water relationships of lentil grown under different rice establishments in Lower Gangetic Plain of India," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 246(C).
    15. Abd El-Wahed, M.H. & Ali, E.A., 2013. "Effect of irrigation systems, amounts of irrigation water and mulching on corn yield, water use efficiency and net profit," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 64-71.
    16. Zhang, You-Liang & Feng, Shao-Yuan & Wang, Feng-Xin & Binley, Andrew, 2018. "Simulation of soil water flow and heat transport in drip irrigated potato field with raised beds and full plastic-film mulch in a semiarid area," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 209(C), pages 178-187.
    17. Liu, Yi & Zeng, Wenzhi & Ao, Chang & Lei, Guoqing & Wu, Jingwei & Huang, Jiesheng & Gaiser, Thomas & Srivastava, Amit Kumar, 2022. "Optimization of winter irrigation management for salinized farmland using a coupled model of soil water flow and crop growth," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    18. Li, Xiaolin & Tong, Ling & Niu, Jun & Kang, Shaozhong & Du, Taisheng & Li, Sien & Ding, Risheng, 2017. "Spatio-temporal distribution of irrigation water productivity and its driving factors for cereal crops in Hexi Corridor, Northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 55-63.
    19. Ngouajio, Mathieu & Wang, Guangyao & Goldy, Ronald, 2007. "Withholding of drip irrigation between transplanting and flowering increases the yield of field-grown tomato under plastic mulch," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 87(3), pages 285-291, February.
    20. Ćosić, Marija & Djurović, Nevenka & Todorović, Mladen & Maletić, Radojka & Zečević, Bogoljub & Stričević, Ružica, 2015. "Effect of irrigation regime and application of kaolin on yield, quality and water use efficiency of sweet pepper," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 139-147.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:6:y:2016:i:4:p:62-:d:83595. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.