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Discoveries in Agriculture and Food Sciences - Vol. 12, No. 6
Publication Date: December 25, 2024
DOI:10.14738/dafs.126.17607.
Declaro-Ruedas, M. Y. A., & Ruedas, E. G. (2024). Optimizing Agricultural Sustainability: Integrating Solar-Powered Drip Irrigation in
the Onion-Corn Cropping System for Climate-Resilient Farming in Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro. Discoveries in Agriculture and
Food Sciences, 12(6). 77-88.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Optimizing Agricultural Sustainability: Integrating Solar- Powered Drip Irrigation in the Onion-Corn Cropping System for
Climate-Resilient Farming in Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro
Mary Yole Apple Declaro-Ruedas
Occidental Mindoro State College San Jose, Occidental Mindoro
Emmanuel G. Ruedas
Magsaysay National High School Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro
ABSTRACT
The study aims to determine the comparison of the yield response of bulb onion and
Magenta corn using solar-powered automated drip irrigation and farmers’ practice
(furrow) irrigation as a response to the deficit water supply brought by climate
change. The experiment was conducted last December 2022 to August 2023 at Sitio
Cabag, Brgy. Poblacion, Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro. The Complete Randomized
Design (CRD) of the experiment was adopted consisting of two treatments and five
replicates. This was done by following the simple random sampling of assigning the
treatments on the experimental plots (1000 sq meters). The Philippine National
Standard for onion and corn production was followed. The same care and
management practices were employed except for the type of irrigation used. Results
show that drip irrigation resulted in reduced water consumption when irrigating
an area of 1000 square meters, in comparison to furrow irrigation. Furthermore,
the bulb onions, and magenta corn that were subjected to solar-powered drip
irrigation exhibited greater fresh and dry weight, highest number of corn cob and
grain weight. The T-test reveals a statistically significant difference between the
treatments. Although, solar irrigation systems often entail more initial investment
compared to furrow irrigation systems, it still offers greater advantage of lower
maintenance and operation expenses. Lastly, this climate smart technology can
minimize the cost on fuel expenditure and effectively maximize water scarce
resources that could help mitigate climate change.
Keywords: bulb size, dry weight, drip irrigation, SDG: 13-Climate Action, 2-Zero Hunger.
INTRODUCTION
The strain on agricultural productivity has been exacerbated by the harsh impacts of climate
change and a growing population, necessitating the identification and promotion of sustainable
practices. Fortunately, agricultural output can be incrementally enhanced through the
application of fertilizers, irrigation, high-yielding seed varieties, and additional methods.
Nevertheless, it is critical to acknowledge that an overabundance of these inputs may result in
adverse environmental and social consequences. As an illustration, excessive application of
nitrogen fertilizers may give rise to unfavorable ecological consequences, including
contamination of groundwater, eutrophication of freshwater bodies, and tropospheric
pollution due to the release of nitrogen oxides and ammonia gas (Steffen et al., 2015). Irrigated
agriculture, constituting the largest water consumer sector, depletes 70% of available water
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Discoveries in Agriculture and Food Sciences (DAFS) Vol 12, Issue 6, December- 2024
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
resources (FAO, 2023). In order to mitigate the economic and climate risk associated with
farming operations, it is crucial to exercise prudence in choosing an irrigation system tailored
to a certain crop, such as opting for automated drip irrigation. Drip irrigation is a crucial and
cutting-edge type of irrigation that surpasses surface irrigation in terms of innovation and
effectiveness (Bhasker et al., 2017).
Drip irrigation is clearly more efficient in terms of unit water productivity than alternative
irrigation methods, given that it reduces water loss via evaporation and seepage (Flores et al.,
2021). Furthermore, it facilitated improved fertilizer management and nutrient distribution,
which led to decreased plant stress, earlier harvests, enhanced crop quality, and greater
uniformity in yield (Gebremeskel et al., 2018). In the same way, Pourgholam-Amiji et al. (2020)
proposed that a rise in water productivity served as an efficient approach to prevent the
depletion of nonrenewable water resources by indirectly causing a rise in crop productivity.
After rice, farmers in Occidental Mindoro cultivate onions as a secondary commodity. Typically,
onions are at their height of production from March to May; subsequent to this, the rainy season
resumes and rice is once more planted. The onion industry is one of the province's lucrative
enterprises. Nevertheless, the industry continues to face numerous challenges in its production
process, including drought, pests, and diseases (Calitang and Orfiano, 2011); inadequate post- harvest facilities; fluctuating product prices; and a lack of quality control protocols (Ruedas and
Ruedas, 2012). Further, due to a lack of irrigation facilities, droughts during the second crop
often led to water shortages that lower the number of hectares that can be irrigated, which
affects farming's profits and output. That is why, crops that needs lesser water is planted for
second crop like onion, garlic, corn and vegetables as a supplementary source of income prior
to the start of the rice growing season.
This project involves the provision of automated drip irrigation facilities to improve the farming
system of the farmers in planting High Valued Crops like onion, vegetables and grains. The
project was handled by the Magsaysay First Christian Multi-Purpose Cooperative with the
supervision of Occidental Mindoro State College (OMSC) in cooperation with the DOST
MIMAROPA-PSTC Occ. Mindoro. DOST-MIMAROPA, thru PTSC-Occidental Mindoro, had
provided the technological assistance for the improvement of farming system through drip
irrigation. While, the Occidental Mindoro State College (OMSC) was responsible in the research
aspect of the project.
The study aims to determine the comparison of the yield response of bulb onion and Magenta
corn using solar-powered automated drip irrigation and farmers’ practice (furrow) irrigation
as a response to the deficit water supply brought by climate change.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Materials
Table 1 presents the drip irrigation materials used in this study. It includes quantity, unit and
description of materials based on a company that specialized in irrigation visitation. The
experiment was conducted last December 2022 to August 2023 at Sitio Cabag, Brgy. Poblacion,
Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro. Final write up and data analysis was done from September
2023 to February 2024.
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Declaro-Ruedas, M. Y. A., & Ruedas, E. G. (2024). Optimizing Agricultural Sustainability: Integrating Solar-Powered Drip Irrigation in the Onion-Corn
Cropping System for Climate-Resilient Farming in Magsaysay, Occidental Mindoro. Discoveries in Agriculture and Food Sciences, 12(6). 77-88.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/dafs.126.17607
Table 1: Materials.
Components Description Farm size (1 ha)
Solar Pumping Unit Engine-driven pump with flexible suction
hose and accessories with housing
75,000.00
Solar Panel for the pumps 12 panels with stand 200,000.00
Water storage 3 drums with stand 14,962.00
Head Control System 2” AMIAD T Tagline Disc Filter
Check valve 2” Spring threaded one side
NAVd PP Kint 3⁄4” BSP PN10
Pressure Gauge 250 GLZ BAR 1⁄4” BSP
51,894.86
Mainlines, infield valve and
distribution line
Layflat hose 2 1⁄2 “ x 100 M
Angle sear Valve 2”2 Plasson
Fittings and accessories
177,460.92
Lateral networks FXN ring strat 16
Aries 16150 0.951/H 0.30M 1000M
Fittings and accessories
10,985.52
Installation fee 50,000.00
Delivery fee 50,000.00
630,303.30
Fig 1: Experimental layout.
Legend: T1-Furrow irrigation; T2- Drip Irrigation