Comparison of sprinkler, trickle and furrow irrigation efficiencies for onion production

In the Mesilla Valley of southern New Mexico, furrow irrigation is the primary source of water for growing onions. As the demand for water increases, there will be increasing competition for this limited resource. Water management will become an essential practice used by farmers. Irrigation efficiency (IE) is an important factor into improving water management but so is economic return. Therefore, our objectives were to determine the irrigation efficiency, irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) and water use efficiency (WUE), under sprinkler, furrow, and drip irrigated onions for different yield potential levels and to determine the IE associated with the amount of water application for a sprinkler and drip irrigation systems that had the highest economic return.