Contribution of Evapotranspiration Reduction during Sprinkler Irrigation to Application Efficiency

The effect of reduced corn evapotranspiration (ET) during solid-set sprinkler irrigation on application efficiency was analyzed on two subplots. During each irrigation event, one subplot was irrigated (moist treatment) while the other was not (dry treatment). ET (weighing lysimeter) and transpiration (heat balance method) rates were determined at each subplot before, during, and after the irrigations. During daytime irrigations, there was a significant decrease in ET (32-55%) and transpiration (58%) for the moist treatment. After the irrigations (1-2 h), ET significantly increased (34%) and transpiration decreased (20%). Gross wind drift and evaporation losses (WDELg) were found to be 19.3% of the applied water. Taking into account the ET changes during and after the irrigations, net sprinkler evaporation losses (SELn) were 14.4-17.5% of the applied water. During nighttime irrigations, changes in ET and transpiration were almost negligible, and SELn were slightly greater than WDELg (9.5 and 8.1%, respectively, of applied water). SELn was mainly a function of wind speed. Reduced ET and transpiration during daytime irrigations moderately increased solid-set sprinkler application efficiency.