Integrating modified sheet-pipe technology in rice field subsurface water management

The development of subsurface irrigation and drainage technology offers a sustainable solution for agricultural water management and enhances efficiency and environmental resilience. This study focuses on the implementation of a sheet pipe for a subsurface water management system designed to optimise water usage while mitigating excess runoff and soil saturation. The system features perforated pipes enveloped by calcite-reinforced sand, making it particularly suitable for narrow or hard-to-access farmlands. Comparative flow capacity tests revealed that the sheet-pipe (SPC) and perforated PVC pipe (PP-C) systems with calcite-reinforced sand achieved a discharge accumulation of 12,000 g within 90 s and 100 s, respectively, which were faster water flow rates than geotextile-covered alternatives. Further experiments integrated the sheet-pipe system with the cultivation of eight rice varieties developed by breeders at IPB University. The results demonstrated that the average water productivity based on evapotranspiration was 1.4 kg.m−3 and total water input was 0.1 kg.m−3. The findings underscore the potential of the sheet-pipe system to enhance irrigation practices, offering scalable and efficient water management solutions for various agricultural contexts.