Irrigation of sugar cane: from research to field practice
| MSI05P4130 | |
| Ah Koon, P. D. Teeluck, M. Ratna, R. D. | |
| Irrigation of sugar cane: from research to field practice | |
| periodical article | |
| 2005 | |
| Proc. int. Soc. Sug. Cane Technol. | |
| 25 (2): 251-254 | |
| En | |
| En Fr Sp | |
| Competition for water from non-agricultural sectors, increasing production costs, and environmental issues require that management of irrigation in sugarcane production in Mauritius be efficient and innovative. This paper elaborates on current irrigation management strategies based on research findings that have been implemented in the Mauritian sugarcane industry. Irrigation strategies are based on the practice of deficit irrigation during water shortages. Research has shown that it is possible to extend available water over an additional 11 per cent of the non-irrigated area resulting in annual increases in cane production and improvement in water-use efficiency by 10 per cent. Adoption of this strategy in a water-scarce region improved farm productivity by about 4 per cent. Furthermore, adoption of a scheduling method, based on "index" tensiometers for the drip system, has resulted in an 8 per cent increase in cane yield. Both water-use efficiency and net income were also improved by about 8 per cent. In the quest to optimise productivity, the software IRRIPIVO was created to assist centre pivot users in monitoring irrigation activities. The software utilises a soil water holding capacity database for local soil, meteorological and crop growth data to forecast irrigation scheduling, and amount, duration and operating speed of the centre pivot irrigation systems. Increased water demand in all sectors of the economy emphasises the need to adopt novel technologies for irrigation management. Productivity per unit of water consumed will be further enhanced through the implementation of a GIS-based Irrigation Management Information System (IMIS) to assist irrigation managers in further optimising water use, labour and equipment inputs. | |
| Sugarcane irrigation water savings yield optimization deficit irrigation information systems irrigation monitoring software | |
| Mauritius | |
| Sugarcane: Water use and management | |
| Irrigation | |
| 2005-02-21 | |
| en | |
| LIB | |
| CAT | |
| IRRIG |