Air injection in Subsurface Drip Irrigation as an Efficient Method for Zucchini Production

Agriculture is a key pillar of the economy, constantly facing challenges due to population growth and climate change. Enhancing the sustainability and efficiency of crop production and improving water use efficiency are essential. to evaluate air injection into subsurface drip irrigation system for zucchini production as efficient method for subsurface drip irrigation systems to improve water use efficiency (WUE), and zucchini production in heavy clay soils. Results showed that injecting air through built-in emitters using a compressor during the last third of the irrigation time maintained acceptable system performance, as measured by indicators like CV, qvar, and EU%. It also improved the physical properties of dry sieved aggregates and enhanced the availability of macronutrients, significantly improving and maintaining heavy clay soil, leading to a 27% increase in zucchini crop yields and 22% water savings compared to the control. Economic analysis indicated that air injection was a feasible option, increasing gross returns by 21% compared to the control, with a benefit-cost ratio of 2.3% for air injection versus 1.8% for the control.