Mechanization of Cotton Production in the Assiut Valley Desert under modern irrigation

P. I.: Prof. Dr. Kamel Abd El-Rahman

Prof. of Agronomy Department

Faculty of Agriculture- Assiut University

Long and extra-long staple Egyptian cotton and its textile products represent the main item in Egyptian exports. It reached 4-5 Milliard L.E. in the last year. The main problem in cotton production in Egypt is the decrease of the cultivated area of cotton year after year because of the great competition of the other crops in the crop rotation. So, the only solution is to move the cotton crop to the new reclaimed soil in the desert because of its tolerancy to the habitate of the desert such as Toshka and East Oweinat. The government of Egypt supports mechanization of cotton production for saving lots of seeds required and increased productivity> The project objectives were to drill a well, install a pump system and extend a drip irrigation net in the desert of Assiut Valley in order to reach a package of recommendations applicable to cotton production in other desert areas as Toshka and East Oweinat. The project aimed at

1-    To determine the optimal planting distance for mechanized planting of Giza-83 cotton variety (60-60 cm and 40-80 cm) as compared to traditional distances

2-    To determine the optimal Et (edvapotranspiration) at which irrigation is applied (80-100 and 120 ET)

3-    To determine the appropriate rate of nitrogen fertilizers (60-75 and 90 nitrogen units/Fadden)

       The project with financial support of the International Cooperation Ministry and the efforts of the working team has accomplished the following tasks

1-    Reclamation of 30 faddans after drilling a well (170 m deep) which gives water which acceptable level of salinity

2-    A pump has been installed and a net for drip irrigation was established over the reclaimed area

3-    The productivity of seed-cotton yield/Fadden reached 5-7 kentar with 90 units of nitrogen/Fadden and irrigation at 120 ET

4-    About half the amount of seeds needed for planting cotton were saved

Prof. Dr. El-Sayed Abd El-Salam           Prof. Dr. Hussein M. Abd El-Raheem

Prof. Dr. Ezzat E. Mahdy                        Prof. Dr. Bahy R. Bakheit

Prof. Dr. Ragab Dawood                         Dr.          Hussein Ragheb