Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Early Access

Effect of selected surface drip irrigation methods and applied water depth on soil physical properties and the growth and yield of broccoli

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.14200
Submitted
23 February 2026
Published
29-06-2026
Versions

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the autumn 2024 season at the First Agricultural Research Station, College of Agriculture, University of Anbar, to evaluate the effects of surface drip irrigation methods and irrigation water depths on soil physical properties and broccoli growth and yield in silt loam soil. Two factors were tested: irrigation method, including partial surface drying (PSD, Ip), surface drip using tapes (Ir) and conventional surface drip (It); and irrigation water depth at three levels (d0.50, d0.60, d0.70). The experiment followed a factorial arrangement in a randomised complete block design (RCBD). Broccoli seedlings (cultivar MAX F1) were transplanted on 28 October 2024 and irrigation scheduling was based on U.S. Class A evaporation pan data. The results indicated that the partial surface drying method (PSD, Ip) yielded the most favourable soil conditions, with lower bulk density, higher total porosity and improved aggregate stability (mean weight diameter, MWD). The Ipd0.50 treatment achieved the lowest bulk density (1.40 Mg m-3), highest porosity (47.16 %) and greatest MWD (0.20 mm), whereas Itd0.70 recorded the highest bulk density (1.51 Mg m-3), lowest porosity (43.01 %) and smallest MWD (0.10 mm). Plant growth and yield followed similar trends; Ip improved leaf area, plant height and total yield, particularly at d0.50. Ipd0.50 attained the highest leaf area (408.76 dm² plant-1), plant height (75.23 cm) and total yield (30.47 t ha-1), while Itd0.70 yielded the lowest values (104.15 dm² plant-1, 57.95 cm and 14.57 t ha-1, respectively). These findings suggest that partial surface drying (PSD) at 50 % water depth effectively improves both soil physical properties and broccoli productivity and can be recommended as a water-efficient irrigation strategy under similar agro-climatic conditions.

References

  1. 1. FAO. The state of food and agriculture 2019: Moving forward on food loss and waste reduction. Rome: FAO; 2019.
  2. 2. Amziane S, Collet F, Lawrence M, Picandet V, Lanos C, Marceau S, et al. Bio-aggregates based building materials. RILEM State-of-the-Art Rep. Dordrecht: Springer; 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1031-0
  3. 3. Al-Daraji FKK. Study of some hydraulic parameters of the strip drip irrigation system and the effect of soil amendments on selected soil properties and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) growth [master's thesis]. Basrah (IQ): University of Basrah; 2019.
  4. 4. Al-Abid AA, Hamza IK, Al-Eisawi JS. Effect of deficit surface and subsurface drip irrigation using PRD technique on some water parameters of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Al-Anbar J Agric Sci. 2019;17(2):165–80. https://doi.org/10.32649/aagrs.2022.170549
  5. 5. Al-Taee ATZ. Effect of different perlite application depths and soil moisture depletion on some water parameters and growth and yield of potato under drip irrigation system [master's thesis]. Anbar (IQ): University of Anbar; 2020.
  6. 6. Al-Jabri RNT, Al-Dulaimi SEH. Effect of subsurface drip irrigation methods on some physical properties of soil, growth and yield of potatoes. Int J Agric Stat Sci. 2021;17(1):1241–48.
  7. 7. Elhani S, Haddadi M, Csákvári E, Zantar S, Hamim A, Villányi V, et al. Effects of partial root-zone drying and deficit irrigation on yield, irrigation water-use efficiency and some potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) quality traits under glasshouse conditions. Agric Water Manag. 2019;224:105745. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2019.105745
  8. 8. Spehia RS, Negi R. Drip irrigation and fertigation requirement of broccoli under mid hill conditions. Veg Sci. 2021;48(1):35–40. https://doi.org/10.61180/vegsci.2021.v48.i1.04
  9. 9. De Souza Terassi D, Rezende R, Wenneck GS, Menezes CSL andrean AFBA, Vila VV, et al. Broccoli production with regulated deficit irrigation at different phenological stages. J Agric Sci. 2021;13(12):71–83. https://doi.org/10.5539/jas.v13n12p71
  10. 10. Khamees AAH, Ati AS, Hussein HH. Effect of surface and subsurface drip irrigation and furrows irrigation system on water productivity, growth and yield of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). IOP Conf Ser Earth Environ Sci. 2023;1158(2):022009. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1158/2/022009
  11. 11. Hussein HA, Aldulaimy SE. Effect of surface drip irrigation and polymer addition on some physical soil characteristics, growth and yield characteristics of cauliflower. IOP Conf Ser Earth Environ Sci. 2023;1222(1):012007. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1247/1/012007
  12. 12. Umar M, Ayub G. Levels and timings of irrigation improves the yield of broccoli in Peshawar region. Sarhad J Agric. 2024;40(2):536–50. https://doi.org/10.17582/journal.sja/2024/40.2.536.550
  13. 13. Al-Bazi KSK. Effect of PAM polymer application and soil moisture depletion on some physical properties of gypsum soil and growth and yield of cauliflower [master's thesis]. Anbar (IQ): University of Anbar; 2025.
  14. 14. Aldulaimy SE, Mohammed HJ, Aljoumani B, Salman AK. Water footprint and evapotranspiration partitioning in drip-irrigated faba bean: Effects of irrigation regime and planting pattern. Agronomy. 2025;15(10):2282. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15102282
  15. 15. Andrés CMC, Pérez de la Lastra JM, Munguira EB, Juan CA, Pérez-Lebeña E. The multifaceted health benefits of broccoli- A review of glucosinolates, phenolics and antimicrobial peptides. Molecules. 2025;30(11):2262. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules30112262
  16. 16. USDA. Keys to soil taxonomy. 11th ed. Washington (DC): Natural Resources Conservation Service; 2010.
  17. 17. Black CA, Evans DD, Ensminger LE, White JL, Clark FE, editors. Methods of soil analysis. Part 1. Madison (WI): American Society of Agronomy; 1965. (Agronomy Monograph; no. 9).
  18. 18. Blake GR, Hartge KH. Bulk density. In: Klute A, editor. Methods of soil analysis. 2nd ed. Part 1. Madison (WI): American Society of Agronomy; 1986. p. 363–75. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssabookser5.1.2ed.c13
  19. 19. Yoder RE. A direct method of aggregate analysis of soils and a study of the physical nature of erosion losses. J Am Soc Agron. 1936;28(5):337–51. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj1936.00021962002800050001x
  20. 20. Sadik SK, Al-Taweel AA, Dhyeab NS, Khalaf MZ. New computer program for estimating leaf area of several vegetable crops. Am-Eurasian J Sustain Agric. 2011;5(3):304–10.
  21. 21. Al-Mehmdy SMH, Aldulaimy SEH, Aljanabi MAA. Impact of surface drip irrigation manners and allowed moisture depletion percent on potato growth and yield. Int J Veg Sci. 2019;25(5):503–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/19315260.2018.1547344
  22. 22. Pangam H. Evaluation of GEP and ANN in reference evapotranspiration modelling and a study on effect of PRD irrigation on growth, yield and water productivity of broccoli [master's thesis]. Pantnagar (IN): Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology; 2020.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.