Maximizing Yield and Water Productivity of Garlic (Allium sativum L.) by Adopting Sprinkler Irrigation System

An experiment on sprinkler irrigation system was conducted to improve yield and water productivity of garlic. The field experiment was conducted during three consecutive rabi seasons from 2022–23 to 2024–25. The data on yield, yield attributing parameters, water productivity, economics, soil moisture distribution and water saving of treatment (T2) i.e.Sprinkler irrigation system were calculated and compared with the corresponding farmer’s practice (T1) i.e. Conventional flood irrigation system. The study revealed that the sprinkler irrigation system (T₂) increased bulb yield by 15.24% and water productivity by 71.17% Compared with the conventional flood irrigation system (T₁),with bulb yield increasing from 92.5 to 107.1 q/ha and water productivity from 1.36 to 2.31 kg/m³. The treatment T2 also showed average water saving of 31.41% over the T1. In economic terms, the treatment T2 performed better with a benefit-cost ratio of 2.76 as compared with T1(2.46). Higher yield due to uniform moisture distribution, negligible water stagnation condition and suppress thrips population along with higher returns and water saving over the farmer’s practice created greater awareness and motivated the other farmers to adopt this irrigation technology.