Evaluation of drip irrigation system of a commercial tea {Camellia sinensis l.) Estate: a case study of Kibena Tea Estate in the southern highlands of Tanzania
| dc.contributor.author | Sinda,Mabvuso Christopher | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-10-06T06:41:30Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-10-06T06:41:30Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2007 | |
| dc.description | Dissertation | |
| dc.description.abstract | A study was carried out at Kibena Tea Estate (KTE) to evaluate the performance of drip irrigation in commercial tea production. The undertaking of this study was necessitated by the need for a more water efficient method of water application given the water scarcity problems faced by KTE. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the performance of drip irrigation system at KTE. Specific objectives were to evaluate water use efficiency of drip irrigation. The second objective was to assess the yield response to water of four tea clones (i.e. SI5/10, PC81, 207 and K35) and thirdly, to investigate if water savings would be attainable through employing drip irrigation in commercial tea. Six irrigation application levels representing four water replenishment levels of 25% evapotranspiration (ETC). 50% ETC, 75% ETC and 100% ETC and two variations of drip lateral placement (i.e. one drip lateral placed in each of the inter row spaces and one lateral placed every after each of the inter row spaces) were adopted. No significant differences were observed on tea yields among the 6 irrigation application levels. Clone SI5/10 had the highest yield of 284 kg ha'1, followed by clone PC81, 207, K35 which had made tea yields of 207 kg, 184 kg and 116 kg ha' respectively. Irrigation application 1 had the best performance in terms of IE. and WUE. Irrigation application levels 1, 2 and 5 had acceptable range ofIE for drip irrigation systems. Whereas, irrigation application levels 3, 4, and 6 were below IE acceptable standards. Emission uniformity, for all irrigation application levels was within acceptable standards. The highest WUE for irrigation application level 1 was under clone SI5/10 with 1.46 kg mm followed by PC81 with 1.07 kg mm i'1, clone 207 had 0.95 kgmm. The least perfonning clone, K35, had 0.60 kg mm The cumulative depth of ,3 irrigation water application under irrigation application level 1 was 194 mm (1940 m; ha'j.while irrigation application level 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 received 350 mm, 467 mm, 623 mm, 208 mm and 659 mm respectively. The optimum level of irrigation water application under the prevailing conditions was irrigation application level 1. The recommendations from this study were that study should be repeated using proper drip scheduling methodology. Furthermore, the study should be done using irrigation requirements computed from recognised empirical methods such as Penman Monteith, Radiation with adherence to guidelines for scheduling of trickle systems. Possible research could be done to consider appropriate Kp and K< combination for drip in’igation scheduling at Kibena. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/123456789/7091 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Sokoine University of Agriculture | |
| dc.subject | Drip irrigation system | |
| dc.subject | Commercial tea | |
| dc.subject | Water scarcity | |
| dc.subject | Yield response | |
| dc.title | Evaluation of drip irrigation system of a commercial tea {Camellia sinensis l.) Estate: a case study of Kibena Tea Estate in the southern highlands of Tanzania | |
| dc.type | Thesis |