Effects of Drip Irrigations with Different Irrigation Intervals and Levels on Nutritional Traits of Paddy Cultivars

Rice serves as the primary food source for the majority of the world's population. In terms of irrigation water, the highest volume of irrigation water is utilized in paddy irrigation. Excessive water use causes both waste of limited water resources and various environmental problems. The drip irrigation method with high water use efficiency will reduce both the need for irrigation water and the environmental footprint of paddy production. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of two different irrigation intervals (2 and 4 days) and four irrigation levels (150%, 125%, 100%, and 75% of evaporation from a Class-A pan) on the nutritional traits of three different paddy cultivars (Ronaldo, Baldo, and Osmancık). Increasing irrigation intervals and decreasing irrigation levels reduced the nutritional properties (protein, oil, starch) of the rice grains. In addition, increasing irrigation levels also increased the phytic acid and dietary fiber contents. The highest protein (7.14%) and total starch (87.10%) contents were obtained from the 150% irrigation treatments. The highest amylose content (20.74%) was obtained from the 75% irrigation treatment. In general, it was found that irrigation levels should be applied at 125% and 150% to increase the mineral content of rice grains. Although water deficits decreased the nutritional properties of the paddy cultivars, drip irrigation at an appropriate level did not have any negative effects on nutritional traits.