Khalil et al. (2025) Wheat Farming Dynamics in Pothohar: From Rainfed Practices to Irrigation Systems

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Identification

• Journal: Irrigation and Drainage
• Year: 2025
• Date: 2025-12-10
• Authors: Shahid Hameed Khan Khalil, Muhammad Shahzad Khattak, Ghani Akbar, Muhammad Ajmal
• DOI: 10.1002/ird.70087

Research Groups

[Not specified in the provided abstract.]

Short Summary

This study evaluated wheat yield and water productivity under various irrigation methods in Pakistan's Pothohar region, revealing significant yield gaps in current practices. It found that high-efficiency irrigation systems (HEIS) substantially improve water productivity and reduce losses compared to conventional flood irrigation, offering a sustainable solution for the region.

Objective

• To evaluate the dynamics of wheat yield and water productivity under various irrigation methods and farming practices in the rainfed-to-irrigated transitioning areas of the Pothohar region, Pakistan.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Pothohar region, Pakistan.
• Temporal Scale: Long-term yield data from 1981 to 2023 (43 years).

Methodology and Data

• Models used: FAO AquaCrop model.
• Data sources: Long-term yield data from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (1981–2023) and farmers' field surveys.

Main Results

• The average wheat yield in the study area was 1.34 ± 0.34 tonnes per hectare, which is 78% and 69% lower than the Punjab provincial and national averages, respectively.
• Irrigated areas achieved 2.55 ± 0.29 tonnes per hectare, yielding 96% more than rainfed areas (1.30 ± 0.33 tonnes per hectare).
• High-efficiency irrigation systems (HEIS) reduced evaporation by 14% and drainage losses by 17%.
• HEIS resulted in 18% higher water productivity (1.66 kilograms per cubic meter) compared to conventional flood irrigation (1.41 kilograms per cubic meter).
• Root-zone water balance analysis confirmed that HEIS improved soil moisture conservation and transpiration efficiency.

Contributions

• Quantifies the significant yield gaps and inefficiencies of prevailing farming practices in the Pothohar region of Pakistan.
• Provides a comparative performance assessment demonstrating the superior water productivity and reduced water losses of high-efficiency irrigation systems (HEIS) over conventional flood irrigation.
• Highlights HEIS as a sustainable irrigation option capable of bridging yield gaps and improving water productivity in semi-arid wheat systems within transitioning agroecosystems.

Funding

[Not specified in the provided abstract.]

Citation

@article{Khalil2025Wheat,
  author = {Khalil, Shahid Hameed Khan and Khattak, Muhammad Shahzad and Akbar, Ghani and Ajmal, Muhammad},
  title = {Wheat Farming Dynamics in Pothohar: From Rainfed Practices to Irrigation Systems},
  journal = {Irrigation and Drainage},
  year = {2025},
  doi = {10.1002/ird.70087},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/ird.70087}
}