Assessing the Effect of Irrigation Water Management Strategies on Napier Productivity—A Review
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Agricultural Sciences
Abstract
Napier, a fast growing and perennial grass has a dry matter (DM) yield potential
of 78 tons/ha/yr. However, under water availability constraints Napier’s
yield potential reduces to 62 tons/ha/yr. In an effort to attain Napier’s
yield potential, irrigation management strategies have been integrated into its
production to provide the highest productivity. This review assesses the effect
of irrigation water management strategies on Napier productivity and also
looks at future perspectives. Application of these strategies i.e. , precision irrigation,
deficit irrigation, and application of biophysical models, can increase
Napier’s yield potential to 112 tons/ha/yr. Review findings revealed that there
is a need to close the knowledge gap on response of Napier productivity to
different irrigation water management strategies. The future perspective explores
the potential of the FAO AquaCrop model in provision of pre-season
decision-making on irrigation strategies due to its relatively low cost and
simplifications required in parameterization.
Description
Keywords
Napier, Climate Change, Irrigation, Deficit irrigation, FAO AquaCrop
Citation
Ntege, I., Kiggundu, N., Wanyama, J. and Nakawuka, P. (2021) Assessing the Effect of Irrigation Water Management Strategies on Napier Productivity— A Review. Agricultural Sciences, 12, 1447-1461. https://doi.org/10.4236/as.2021.1212092