INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF SURFACE IRRIGATION BY USING SURGE IRRIGATION FOR COTTON PRODUCTION IN THE DELTA SOILS

Two field experiments were conduct at Sakha Agricultural Research Station at Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt, during 2018 and 2019 seasons to study increasing the efficiency of surface irrigation by using surge irrigation for cotton production in the Delta soils for Giza 96 cotton variety. A split plots design with four replications was used, where the main plots involved three lengths of irrigation rows (30, 40 and 50 meter) and the sub plots included three surge irrigation timing systems (time for opening and closing surge irrigation) (10 minute open -10 minute close, 15 minute open -15 minute close and 20 minute open -20 minute close until finish from irrigation). The results indicated that; The 30 meter row length irrigation significantly increased p lant height, no. of fruiting branches/plant, number of open bolls /plant, boll weight, seed cotton yield/plant and seed cotton yield/fed. compared with the other treatments irrigation row lengths 40 and 50 meter. The surge irrigation timing system 10 minutes open and 10 minutes close significantly increased plant height, number of fruiting branches/plant, number of open bolls/plant, boll weight, seed cotton yield/plant and seed cotton yield/fed. compared with the other surge irrigation timing systems (15-15 and 20-20). The interaction between 30 meter row length and surge irrigation timing system 10 minutes open and 10 minutes close gave the good values of growth, yield and its components of Giza 96 cotton variety in both seasons. Row lengths irrigation and surge irrigation timing systems treatments and its interaction did not exhibit any significant effect on seed index, lint % and fiber properties in both seasons. Finally, using 30 meter irrigation row length and surge irrigation timing systems 10 minutes open and 10 minutes close gave the highest seed cotton yield/fed. for Giza 96 cotton cultivar under the conditions of Kafr El-Sheikh in the Delta soils.