Irrigation management practices of cabbage farmers in Botswana using saline groundwater.

dc.contributor.authorHess, Tim M.-
dc.contributor.authorMolatakgosi, Goitsemodimo-
dc.date.accessioned2011-10-12T23:06:23Z
dc.date.available2011-10-12T23:06:23Z
dc.date.issued2009-02-01T00:00:00Z-
dc.description.abstractAll horticultural production in Botswana is irrigated, as average rainfall is less than average reference evapotranspiration in all parts of the country for all of the year, and most of the irrigation in the country is used for horticultural crops. In the main, the water used for irrigation comes from groundwater, and much of this can be classified as moderately saline. A survey was carried out of 60 cabbage farmers in five regions of the country to identify the level of salinity of irrigation water and the irrigation practices used. It was concluded that there was no relationship between the irrigation rate (average irrigation depth divided by average irrigation interval) and the salinity of the water used or the salinity of the soil, such that some farmers were over-irrigating and others under-irrigating. This means that water is being wasted and yields are likely to be reduced. In addition, there is a risk of long-term build-up of salinity and soil degradation.en_UK
dc.identifier.citationT.M. Hess, G. Molatakgosi, Irrigation management practices of cabbage farmers in Botswana using saline groundwater, Agricultural Water Management, Volume 96, Issue 2, February 2009, Pages 226-232-
dc.identifier.issn0378-3774-
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2008.08.005-
dc.identifier.urihttp://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/3186
dc.language.isoen_UK-
dc.publisherElsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam.en_UK
dc.subjectIrrigationen_UK
dc.subjectSchedulingen_UK
dc.subjectSalinityen_UK
dc.subjectCabbageen_UK
dc.subjectBotswanaen_UK
dc.titleIrrigation management practices of cabbage farmers in Botswana using saline groundwater.en_UK
dc.typeArticle-

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