Data from: Evaluation of drip irrigation system for water productivity and yield of rice

The use of drip irrigation in upland rice cultivation is a contemporary water-saving strategy however, inadequate evidence available related to consequential changes in water productivity on rice yield. The effects of distinctive drip irrigation treatments viz., differences in lateral distances [0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 m], dripper discharge rates [0.6 and 1.0 litre per hour], irrigation methods [surface and sub-surface] and the conventional aerobic rice production system (control) on, physiology and water productivity of rice were studied during summer 2012 and 2013. Grain yield significantly increased in sub-surface drip irrigation method laid out at 0.8 m lateral distance and in 1.0 litre per hour (lph) discharge rate (5389 kg ha-1) compared with control irrigation method (4181 kg ha-1). This treatment mount up dry matter partitioning, leaf photosynthesis as well as root oxidizing power. In addition, drip irrigation in aerobic rice production system had twice the water productivity and stimulates longer roots with higher density compared with control irrigation method. The sub-surface drip irrigation system with drippers/laterals of 0.8 m distance with flow rate 1.0 lph, in aerobic rice production system is a cost-effective method and had the potential to save water (27.0 %) without compromising for grain yield in comparison to control irrigation method. This could be the promising technology to be recommended for aerobic rice production system.

旱稻栽培中采用滴灌（drip irrigation）是当下主流的节水策略，但目前关于其对水稻产量及水分生产率（water productivity）的后续影响，相关研究证据仍较为匮乏。本研究于2012年与2013年夏季开展，旨在探究不同滴灌处理对水稻生理特性与水分生产率的影响，所设置的处理变量包括：毛管间距（lateral distance）[0.6、0.8和1.0 m]、滴头流量（dripper discharge rate）[0.6和1.0 L/h]、灌溉方式[地表滴灌（surface drip irrigation）与地下滴灌（sub-surface drip irrigation）]，以及常规旱稻生产体系（对照组）。与对照组灌溉方式的稻谷产量（grain yield，4181 kg·hm⁻²）相比，采用0.8 m毛管间距、1.0 L/h滴头流量的地下滴灌处理，其稻谷产量显著提升至5389 kg·hm⁻²。该处理可有效提升干物质分配效率、叶片光合速率以及根系氧化活力。此外，相较于对照组，旱稻生产体系中采用滴灌可使水分生产率提升一倍，同时能促进根系生长，形成更长且密度更高的根系结构。在旱稻生产体系中，采用滴头/毛管间距0.8 m、流量1.0 L/h的地下滴灌系统是一种经济高效的技术方案，相较于对照组可节水27.0%且不会对稻谷产量造成负面影响。该技术有望成为旱稻生产体系中值得推广的高效节水栽培技术。