SOIL WETTING PATTERN USING FAMILY DRIP DETERMINATION OF SOIL WETTING PATTERN US IRRIGATION SYSTEM UNDER ON CLAY SOIL CONDITION

The study was conducted to determine the soil wetting pattern of clay texture using the family drip irrigation system. Specifically, it aims to determine the wetted surface diameter, wetted cross-sectional diameter and wetted depth at any given time. The operating time of irrigating the system is 2hr and 5min. There are five emitters used for parameter measures in each lateral. The average of the data was determined from five replications. At the first 25 min of irrigating, the wetted pattern and wetted depth of the soil formed in lateral 1 from E1, E2, E3, E4, and Es was measured and recorded. The same parameter was used for the next four 25 minutes. Results showed that from the first period of application, the gathered measurements of the wetted soil surface diameter have the highest value among the other parameters. The high values of wetted soil surface diameter and low values of wetted soil depth and cross-sectional diameter are attributed to the fact that the soil was clay with low permeability or its property to transmit water which results in low infiltration rates and poor drainage. Moreover, the values are affected because the moisture content of the clay soil is quite high at 17.33% since the soil texture is made up of smaller particle sizes and large surface area. The large surface area of clay soil makes it easier to hold onto water, so it has high water holding capacity. The shape formed by the wetted surface diameter, wetted soil depth and wetted cross-sectional area were close to ellipsoidal shape. These results conform to the related studies that the wetting pattern developed from dripping water onto the soil depending on the discharge and soil type.