Seasonal water production functions and yield response factors for maize and onion in Perkerra, Kenya

• Published in: Agricultural water management Vol. 56; no. 3; pp. 229 - 240
• Main Authors: Kipkorir, E.C, Raes, D, Massawe, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 31.08.2002; Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Series: Agricultural Water Management
• Subjects: Agricultural and forest climatology and meteorology. Irrigation. Drainage; Agricultural and forest meteorology; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Deficit irrigation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General agronomy. Plant production; Kenya, Perkerra; Maize; Onions; Water balance and requirements. Evapotranspiration; Water production functions; Yield response factors; Kenya; Africa; Water production functions; Yield response factors; Maize; Deficit irrigation; Onions; Allium cepa; Monocotyledones; Zea mays; Water balance; Water use efficiency; Production function; Experimental study; Cereal crop; Clay loam soil; Liliaceae; Vegetable crop; Gramineae; Water regime; Seasonal variation; Semi arid zone; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Furrow irrigation; Yield
• ISSN: 0378-3774; 1873-2283
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-3774(02)00034-3

Water production functions (wpf) giving the relation between crop yield and water application under furrow irrigation on a clay loam soil in the semi-arid region in Kenya (Perkerra) were derived for maize and onion. Due to deep percolation the functions were found to be curvilinear. The seasonal yield response factors K y, giving the relationship between evapotranspiration deficit and yield depression for maize and onion for the area was computed as 1.21 and 1.28, respectively. Analytical analysis using the derived wpf for maize and existing conditions in an irrigation system located in the area confirmed that if rainfall is significant, deficit irrigation will be more attractive, and at a certain point, it is profitable to cultivate all available area.