Polymer and deficit irrigation influence on water use efficiency and yield of muskmelon under surface and subsurface drip irrigation

Water scarcity is a major constraint facing vegetable production sustainability in open field farming of arid regions like the Kingdom Saudi Arabia. This study was carried out an Research and Training Station King Faisal University eastern region Kingdom. The objective to assess influences polymer addition (PA), deficit irrigation regime (DIR), their combination on water use efficiency (WUE) muskmelons. PA treatments 0.0, 0.2 0.4% 100, 75 50% reference evapotranspiration (ETo), were imposed throughout growth stages muskmelons under surface drip (DI) subsurface (SDI). enhanced holding capacity medium sandy soil within locality emitters by 43.6%. content layer vicinity amended increased range 72.4 99.4% combined with DI SDI, but marked more SDI. 100% ETo DIR additions significantly (P < 0.05) muskmelon fruit yield (MFY) SDI compared DI. improved WUE MFY 67.7, 70.4% 58.6, 24.2% DI, respectively. Without (0.0% PA), decreased increase DIRs both