Impact of Different Levels of Supplemental Irrigation on Olive Productivity

1. Impact of Different Levels of
Supplemental Irrigation on Olive
Productivity
N. El Jouni1, M. Hayek1, F. Ayesh1,
V. Nangia3, M. Karrou2 and T. Oweis2
1General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research (Syria)
1International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas
(Jordan/Morocco)

2. Study general objectives
• To enhance crop yields of smallholder olive
farmers through the optimization of water
management practices applied to olive
cultivation
• Improved and more stable olive yields are
going to lead to improved earnings and
livelihoods for the targeted smallholder
farmers

3. Specific objectives
• To increase yield of olive groves in the
target areas by using advanced strategies
• To minimize yearly fluctuations in yield,
and securing more stable farm income
• To increase water productivity of irrigated
olive

4. Syria
Rainfall ~ 300-400 mm
Treatments (2 replicates of each)
Rainfed (control)
Irrigate at 100% CWR
Irrigate at 50% CWR

5. Results
• 2012
678
515
353
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
100% ETc 50% ETc Rainfed
Waterapplied(rainfall+
irrigation,mm)
Treatment

6. Olive Yield
11076
9828
7368
9984
7956
4056
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
100% ETc 50% ETc Rainfed
Yield(kg/ha)
Treatment
Sorani cv.
Jlout cv.

7. Oil Yield
2437 2345
11781268 1218
769
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
100% ETc 50% ETc Rainfed
Oilyield(kg/ha)
Treatment

8. Water Productivity
1.63
1.91
2.09
1.47 1.54
1.15
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
100% ETc 50% ETc Rainfed
Waterproductivity(kg/m3ET)
Treatment

9. Key results from 2012 data
• 50% ETc (353 mm rainfall + 162 mm irrigation)
compared to rainfed plantation,
– fruit yield increased by 2,460 (33%) to 3,900 (96%) kg/ha
– Yield of Sorani cv. was always higher than Jlout cv. at all
locations
– Water productivity ranged between 1.1 and 2.1 kg/m3
ET
– There was a further increase of 1,250 (13%) to 2,030
(25%) kg/ha by switching from 50% ETc to 100% ETc

10. Key results from 2012 data (cont’d)
The lowest WP was found for rainfed Sorani cv. at
farmer’s field and highest for rainfed Sorani cv. at
experimental station in Dara’a,
but yields were always higher for irrigated olives
plantations compared to rainfed proving that there is
a loss of yield if we do not irrigate
In terms of percentage oil extracted from fruit,
Sorani cv. grown under 50% ETc treatment produced
highest values (24%)

11. Key results from 2013 data (not shown
here)
• Yields increased by as much as 113% (4,056
kg/ha vs. 8,580 kg/ha) when 142 mm of
irrigation was applied (in addition to 416 mm
rainfall) by drip
• A further increase of 1,560 kg/ha (21%) was
achieved by applying additional 142 mm of
irrigation (100% ETc) in addition to the rainfall

12. Statistical Analyses
Differences (P < 0.05)
• Cultivar
• Irrigation treatment
• Oil yield
• Oil WP
• Olive yield

13. Cost-benefit Analysis
Practices 100% Treatment 50% Treatment Rainfed Treatment
Inputs: Cost (SYP)
Land preparation 15,000 15,000 10,000
Fertilization 36,000 36,000 18,000
Pesticides 20,000 20,000 20,000
Irrigation 43,700 22,000 0
Harvest 66,456 58,968 34,944
Miscellaneous 42,000 42,000 22,000
Total 223,156 193,968 104,944
Revenues: Jlut Sorani Jlut Sorani Jlut Sorani
Fruit yield (kg/ha) 9,750 10,320 8,060 8,586 4,446 4,816
Income (per ha) 349,440 387,660 278,460 343,980 141,960 152,880
Net profit (per ha) 126,284 164,504 84,492 150,012 37,016 47,936
Net profit (US$/ha) 2,526 3,290 1,690 3,000 740 960
US$ increase from
rainfed treatment (%)
1,786
(241%)
2,330
(243%)
950
(130%)
2,040
(213%)
- -

14. Overarching conclusions
• Applying a small amount of water by drip
irrigation, in addition to rainfall, can be
beneficial in two ways –
– it helps increase the yields of fruits as well as
oil, and
– it helps stabilize the yields

15. Thank you