Participatory Evaluation and Demonstration of Onion Response to Deficit Irrigation at Gibe Woreda, Ethiopia

Water scarcity has become a challenge for agricultural production in the arid area of Ethiopia, particularly in areas characterized by high evaporative demand and low and irregular rainfall. One of the options that can help to save irrigation water under these conditions is the adoption of deficit irrigation by farmers. This study aims participatory evaluation of the deficit irrigation level on onion yield and water use efficiency. To achieve this objective, the experimental was arranged in a randomized complete design with three levels of irrigation treatments and five replications. The treatment was three deficit irrigation levels (70%, 80%, and 100% ETc). The results showed that, deficit irrigation level have a significant difference in plant height, bulb weight, bulb diameter and total yield of onion and water use efficiency. Onion yield has significant difference between 100%ETc and 70%ETc, but there is no significant difference between 100%ETc and 85%ETc. The highest water use efficiency was obtained under70%ETc with significant yield reduction. Therefore, in an area where a sufficient amount of water is available full irrigation is recommended to obtain maximum yield, but in water-scarce areas applying 85%ETc is recommended with non-significant yield reduction.