Sustainable and Traditional Irrigation and Fertigation Practices for Potato and Zucchini in Dry Mediterranean Regions

Transforming irrigation practices is essential to address aquifer depletion and food security in Mediterranean regions facing climate change and water scarcity. Developing local and national resilience to climate change requires capacity building to boost soil health and adaptation to drought. Recent attempts undertaken by the SEALACOM Project reduced irrigation rates in protected agriculture. The purpose of this work is to enhance traditional farmer’s practices and promote the potential of advanced fertigation of field crops (i.e., potato and zucchini) cultivated under two different pedo-climatic conditions to improve water and nutrient use efficiency. Results showed the yield of zucchini and potato on SEALACOM plots with continuous fertigation was 22% and 17.8%, respectively, which was higher than the yield with traditional irrigation and fertilization practices. Elite potato tuber size was 40% higher in SEALACOM plots (p < 0.05). The farmer applied 359 L of water to produce 1 kg of fresh zucchini compared to 225 L by the SEALACOM Project, indicating a significant, 60% water saving in the SEALACOM practice. Compared to farmer’s practices of potato production, the SEALACOM Project achieved more than 50% higher water productivity. In zucchini production, farmers applied 19.5% more nitrogen and 19.6% more phosphorus fertilizers. Compared to 58 kg of N applied by the farmers, the SEALACOM Project applied 38 kg of N to produce 1 ton of Zucchini, showing a 34% saving in major nutrient application. To cultivate 1 kg of fresh potato tubers, SEALACOM utilized 4.06 g of nitrogen and 1.34 g of phosphorus, compared to the traditional practice, which required 13.2 g of nitrogen and 2.25 g of phosphorus. Water and nutrient saving and higher productivity and commerciality of the final product have a high positive impact on the farmer’s income and positive attitude towards the adoption of modern, sustainable practices.