Amélioration de l'application de l'eau et du pilotage pour les systèmes d'irrigation localisée

The need for irrigation may differ between zones of a particular field due to the spatial variation of soil properties or the cropping of different plants on the same field. While moving irrigation systems apply water at constant rates, some areas of the field may receive too much water and others not enough. Accordingly, many techniques and methods have been developed over the years for irrigation management. They are based on information from the soil, climate or plant, operated separately or additionally. Some methods are decision support tools to schedule irrigation (when do I irrigate?) others are going to calculate the volume of water needed by contribution. The choice of method depends on many factors such as the species (that is to say, the development cycle and cultural practices), the type of application (surface, sprinkler, drip), the cost of the steering equipment, the time available for data collection, etc. This study aims to contribute in improving the water use efficiency, especially in areas where water is a limited source. The objective of this research is to acquire the necessary knowledge to properly steer the irrigation doses as a tool of better control of irrigation management. In this context, an experimental test is installed at a farmer's field in the area of Erfoud (Errachidia Province, southeastern Morocco), using different steering equipment (Delta-T probes, Watermark sensors and Tensiometers with gauge) and a fully equipped weather station the subsurface drip irrigation system and the classic drip system for young date palms. Flow measurement was measured through two methods: a flow measurement of drippers above the surface and another one underground. The results of this study show that a better knowledge of steering and measuring equipment, although they are certain limits, is indispensable for good control and good management of irrigation. The level of knowledge of the user is also involved, to the extent that only data properly interpreted are useful. Therefore, such understanding can help to identify the best strategy for efficient irrigation water use.