Enhancing water productivity in cabbage cultivation under deficit irrigation strategies in semi-arid climates

Abstract

Deficit irrigation is gaining attention as an effective water management technique that minimizes water usage while causing only slight reductions in crop yield. However, there is limited research on how water scarcity affects leafy vegetables like cabbage, particularly concerning water use efficiency (WUE) under the semi-arid conditions of Marathwada. To address this gap, the present study was undertaken to assess the impact of different deficit irrigation levels (0.5, 0.75, and 1.0 of full irrigation) on cabbage. Field trials were carried out during the Rabi season of 2024-2025 at the Experimental Farm, Department of Horticulture, College of Horticulture, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani, using the cabbage variety ‘Superball 50’. This irrigation strategy shows promise for enhancing water use efficiency without significantly affecting crop yield, particularly if water stress is applied during non-critical stages of plant growth. In water-scarce regions like Marathwada, such methods are vital for sustaining agricultural output while conserving water. For instance, applying irrigation at 50% ETc (Treatment T27) led to reduced plant size, fresh weight, relative water content, canopy spread in later growth phases, and ultimately lowered head size and total yield. In contrast, irrigating at 75% ETc (Treatment T14) caused minimal impacts on plant growth and physiological traits, with only a slight decrease in yield. Unlike conventional fixed irrigation schedules of 100%, 75%, or 50% of full irrigation, Regulated Deficit Irrigation (RDI) deliberately introduces water stress during specific, less sensitive stages of crop development to optimize water savings without compromising yield quality, thereby maintaining yield stability while significantly improving water use efficiency (WUE). the field water use efficiency is the highest in (T18)(0.1376 t/ha-mm).The maximum B:C ratio was observed in no stress treatment T1(0.7854), minimum in treatment T27 (0.3737).