Evaluation of irrigation experiments with GGE biplot method and economic analysis of drip irrigation system: a case study of peanut production

Abstract

Besides irrigation water quantity and quality, there is a decrease also in soil quality and fertility. Agricultural production lands are decreasing both in quantity and quality. There is a search for different operational alternatives in sandy soils with low production potentials. Drip irrigation is largely practised to get greater yields per unit area. This study was conducted under sand soil conditions, commonly preferred for peanut farming, in the 2017- 2018 growing seasons. A drip irrigation system was used in production. Two different irrigation intervals (2 and 4 days) and four different irrigation levels (I50, I75, I100 and I125, calculated based on cumulative evaporation from the class-A pan) were applied. Evapotranspiration values varied between 402-832 mm, applied irrigation water quantities between 313-783 mm, yields between 5269-8269 kg ha-1, water use efficiency (WUE) values between 0.63-1.55 kg ha-1 m-3, economic water productivity (EWP) over gross revenues between 1.29-3.81 $ m-3 and benefit and cost ratios (B/C) varied between 4.73-10.95. The GGE biplot statistical method is a useful tool in the evaluation of irrigation research where the number of applications and materials is high.