Evapotranspiration, Yield Components, and Some Quality Attributes of Subsurface Drip Irrigated Broccoli under Three Soil-water Depletion Levels

Abstract

This experiment aimed to determine evapotranspirati on, and responses of some yield and quality parameters of subsurface drip irrigated broccoli ( Brassica oleraceae L.). Treatments included water application when availabl e soil moistures were depleted 30, 40, and 50% during both spring and autumn cultivations. Under a semi-arid climatic condition of Tokat, Turkey, the experiment was carr ied out with a randomized complete block design in clay and clay loam soils during, re spectively, 2011 and 2012. The mean measured soil-water depletion levels of 39, 49, and 59% (irrigation treatments) yielded statistically significant results among the seasona l actual evapotranspirations with a range from 210 to 294 mm. The determined crop coefficient s (Kc) during the initial growth stage of broccoli for the autumn cultivations did n ot follow those of standard recommendations. Furthermore, we could not find any statistically significant difference in the yield and quality components among the irrig ation treatments, but among the cultivation seasons. Keywords: Crop coefficient, Modified Penman equation, Vitamin C, Water use efficiency.