Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A smart capillary barrier-wick irrigation system for home gardens in arid zones

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Irrigation Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

New water-conserving irrigation technologies are vital in arid countries. We investigated the effects of (i) soil substrates made of Smart Capillary Barrier Wick (SCB-W), consisting of silt loam blocks surrounded by sand-sheathes and irrigated with a sand wick cylinder (WC) as compared to a control (homogenous soil irrigated by the same wick system, HW), (ii) WC diameters (2.54 cm vs. 1.27 cm), and (iii) 2-cm sand mulch layer on soil–water dynamics during wetting–drying cycles. Field experiments with pots and HYDRUS (2D/3D) modeling were performed in two consecutive phases (with and without sand mulch). Analysis of variance at p < 0.05 was used to assess significant differences in measured water contents, θ, between the two substrates. For the wetting/drying cycles, the modeled and measured θ are in satisfactory/tolerable agreement, as documented by the model evaluation criteria, which are within acceptable ranges (the root mean squared error, RMSE 0.01–0.06; Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient, NSE 0.51–0.97, and Willmott index, d = 0.97–1). SCB-W wets the soil substrate about two times faster than HW during the wetting cycles (p < 0.05). Reducing the WC diameter prolonged the wetting time by 1 and 2 days for SCB-W and HW, respectively, the same trend of two times faster wetting of SCB-W compared to HW was maintained. SCB-W showed higher θ storage (by 44.3–52.4%) at the bottom part of the composite than HW (p < 0.05). The sand mulch layer reduced evaporation and resulted in 20 and 38.9% higher θ during the drying cycle for both the bottom and top sensors, respectively, in both substrates (p < 0.05). SCB-W could improve water conservation in home gardens.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbasi F, Jacques D, Šimůnek J, Feyen J, van Genuchten MT (2003) Inverse estimation of soil hydraulic and solute transport parameters from transient field experiments: heterogeneous soil. Trans ASAE 46(4):1097–1111

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Harrasi, N. (2017). Water conservation, plant growth and microbial counts of block crack capillary barrier having different sand to fine texture soil proportions. MSc thesis. Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat

  • Al-Ismaily SS, Al-Maktoumi AK, Kacimov AR, Al-Saqri SM, Al-Busaidi HA, Al-Haddabi MH (2013) Morphed block-crack preferential sedimentation in a reservoir bed: a smart design and evolution in nature. Hydrol Sci J 58(8):1779–1788. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2013.838002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allen RG, Pereira LS, Raes D, Smith M (1998) Guidelines for computing crop water requirements-FAO irrigation and drainage paper 56, FAO-Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Rome. Geophysics 156:178

    Google Scholar 

  • Al-Maktoumi A, Al-Ismaily S, Kacimov A, Al-Busaidi H, Al-Saqri S, Al-Hadabi M (2014) Soil substrate as a cascade of capillary barriers for conserving water in a desert environment: lessons learned from arid nature. J Arid Land. 6(6):690–703. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40333-014-0068-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Mayahi A (2018) Testing a capillary barrier technique for managing soil composite and irrigation water in home gardens. MSc thesis. Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat

  • Al-Mayahi A, Al-Ismaily S, Gibreel T, Kacimov A, Al-Maktoumi A (2019) Home gardening in Muscat, Oman: gardeners’ practices, perceptions and motivations. Urban For Urban Green. 38:286–294

    Google Scholar 

  • Amoozegar A, Wilson GV (1999) Methods for measuring hydraulic conductivity and drainable porosity. Agric Drain (agriculturaldra) 1149–1205

  • Baker RS, Hillel D (1990) Laboratory tests of a theory of fingering during infiltration into layered soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 54(1):20–30

    Google Scholar 

  • Black CA (1965) Methods of soil analysis agronomy no. 9 part 2. America Se. Agronomy, Madson

  • Blott SJ, Pye K (2012) Particle size scales and classification of sediment types based on particle size distributions: review and recommended procedures. Sedimentology 59(7):2071–2096

    Google Scholar 

  • Bogena HR, Huisman JA, Oberdörster C, Vereecken H (2007) Evaluation of a low-cost soil water content sensor for wireless network applications. J Hydrol 344(1–2):32–42

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradford SA, Šimůnek J, Bettahar M, van Genuchten MT, Yates SR (2006) Significance of straining in colloid deposition: evidence and implications. Water Resour Res. https://doi.org/10.1029/2005WR004791

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunetti G, Šimůnek J, Piro P (2016) A comprehensive analysis of the variably saturated hydraulic behavior of a green roof in a Mediterranean climate. Vadose Zone J 15(9)

  • Carsel RF, Parrish RS (1988) Developing joint probability distributions of soil water retention characteristics. Water Resour Res 24(5):755–769

    Google Scholar 

  • Dabach S, Lazarovitch N, Šimůnek J, Shani U (2013) Numerical investigation of irrigation scheduling based on soil water status. Irrig Sci 31(1):27–36

    Google Scholar 

  • Dare AE, Mohtar RH, Jafvert CT, Shomar B, Engel B, Boukchina R, Rabi A (2017) Opportunities and challenges for treated wastewater reuse in the West Bank, Tunisia, and Qatar. Trans ASABE. 60(5):1563

    Google Scholar 

  • Ferrarezi RS, Testezlaf R (2016) Performance of wick irrigation system using self-compensating troughs with substrates for lettuce production. J Plant Nutr 39(1):147–161

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferrarezi RS, Weaver GM, van Iersel MW, Testezlaf R (2015) Subirrigation: historical overview, challenges, and future prospects. HortTechnology. 25(3):262–276

    Google Scholar 

  • Fultariya A, Prajapati V, Parmar M (2017) A review: experimental investigation on capillary wick irrigation technique. Int J Adv Eng Res Dev. 2348–4470:1–3

    Google Scholar 

  • Gee GW, Bauder JW (1986) Particle-size analysis. 1. Methods of soil analysis: Part 1—Physical and mineralogical methods (methodsofsoilan1), pp 383–411

  • Glatron S, Granchamp L (eds) (2018) The urban garden city: shaping the city with gardens through history. Springer, New York

  • Grant SA, Bachmann J (2002) Effect of temperature on capillary pressure. Geophys Monogr Geophys Union. 129:199–212

    Google Scholar 

  • Hillel D, Baker RS (1988) A descriptive theory of fingering during infiltration into layered soils. Soil Sci 146(1):51–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Ityel E, Lazarovitch N, Silberbush M, Ben-Gal A (2011) An artificial capillary barrier to improve root zone conditions for horticultural crops: physical effects on water content. Irrig Sci 29(2):171–180

    Google Scholar 

  • Ityel E, Ben-Gal A, Silberbush M, Lazarovitch N (2014) Increased root zone oxygen by a capillary barrier is beneficial to bell pepper irrigated with brackish water in an arid region. Agric Water Manag 131:108–114

    Google Scholar 

  • Jain A, Kamalanathan S (2018) Intelligent automated IOT based irrigation system. Int J Adv Res Comput Sci 9(2). https://doi.org/10.26483/ijarcs.v9i2.5769

  • Jim CY, Chen WY (2006) Recreation–amenity use and contingent valuation of urban green spaces in Guangzhou, China. Landsc Urban Plan 75(1–2):81–96

    Google Scholar 

  • Kacimov A, Al-Maktoumi A, Al-Ismaily S, Al-Busaidi H (2017) Moisture and temperature in a proppant-enveloped silt block of a recharge dam reservoir: laboratory experiment and 1-D mathematical modelling. J Agric Mar Sci (JAMS) 22(1):8–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Karimov AK, Hanjra MA, Šimůnek J, Abdurakhmannov B (2018) Can a change in cropping patterns produce water savings and social gains: a case study from the Fergana Valley, Central Asia. J Hydrol Hydromech 66(2):189–201

    Google Scholar 

  • Khire MV, Benson CH, Bosscher PJ (2000) Capillary barriers: design variables and water balance. J Geotech Geoenviron Eng. 126(8):695–708

    Google Scholar 

  • Kotagama H, Zekri S, Al Harthi R, Boughanmi H (2016) Demand function estimate for residential water in Oman. Int J Water Resour Dev 0627(October):1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2016.1238342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee C-W, So I-S, Jeong S-W, Huh M-R (2010) Application of subirrigation using capillary wick system to pot production. J Agric Life Sci. 44(3):7–14

    Google Scholar 

  • Leij FJ (1996) The UNSODA unsaturated soil hydraulic database: user’s manual (vol. 96, no. 95). National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Office of Research and Development, US Environmental Protection Agency

  • Liao K, Xu S, Wu J, Zhu Q (2014) Uncertainty analysis for large-scale prediction of the van Genuchten soil-water retention parameters with pedotransfer functions. Soil Res. 52(5):431–442

    Google Scholar 

  • Mein RG, Farrell DA (1974) Determination of wetting front suction in the Green–Ampt equation 1. Soil Sci Soc Am J 38(6):872–876

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller E, Buys L (2008) The impact of social capital on residential water-affecting behaviors in a drought-prone Australian community. Soc Nat Resour. 21(3):244–257

    Google Scholar 

  • El-Nesr, M. N. B., A. Alazba, and J. Šimůnek (2014) HYDRUS simulations of the effects of dual-drip subsurface irrigation and a physical barrier on water movement and solutes transport in soils. Irrig Sci 32(2):111–125. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-013-0417-x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muhammed HH (2015) Modeling of capillary wick irrigation system for potted plant and small scale plantation. MSc thesis, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor

  • Mungai MM, Wariara K, Gathogo HP, Mwibanda WJ, Ochieng AA (2017) Water use and plant growth of selected container grown ornamental plants under capillary wick based irrigation system and conventional irrigation system in Kenya. Int J Agron Agric Res 11(2225–3610):32–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Nagarajan G, Minu RI (2018) Wireless soil monitoring sensor for sprinkler irrigation automation system. Wirel Pers Commun. 98(2):1835–1851

    Google Scholar 

  • Nemali KS, van Iersel MW (2006) An automated system for controlling drought stress and irrigation in potted plants. Sci Hortic 110(3):292–297

    Google Scholar 

  • Or D, Tuller M (2005) Capillarity. In: Encyclopedia of soils in the environment, pp 155–164. Elsevier, London. https://doi.org/10.1016/B0-12-348530-4/00339-8

  • Rezaei M, Seuntjens P, Joris I, Boënne W, Van Hoey S, Campling P, Cornelis WM (2015) Sensitivity of water stress in a two-layered sandy grassland soil to variations in groundwater depth and soil hydraulic parameters. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci Discuss 12(7):478–503

    Google Scholar 

  • Rocha D, Abbasi F, Feyen J (2006) Sensitivity analysis of soil hydraulic properties on subsurface water flow in furrows. J Irrig Drain Eng 132(4):418–424

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenbaum U, Huisman JA, Weuthen A, Vereecken H, Bogena HR (2010) Sensor-to-sensor variability of the ECH2O EC-5, TE, and 5TE sensors in dielectric liquids. Vadose Zone J 9(1):181–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenbaum U, Huisman JA, Vrba J, Vereecken H, Bogena HR (2011) Correction of temperature and electrical conductivity effects on dielectric permittivity measurements with ECH2O sensors. Vadose Zone J 10(2):582–593

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Saxton KE, Rawls WJ (2006) Soil water characteristic estimates by texture and organic matter for hydrologic solutions. Soil Sci Soc Am J 70(5):1569–1578

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schaap MG, Leij FJ, van Genuchten MT (2001) Rosetta: a computer program for estimating soil hydraulic parameters with hierarchical pedotransfer functions. J Hydrol 251(3–4):163–176

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider-Zapp K, Ippisch O, Roth K (2010) Numerical study of the evaporation process and parameter estimation analysis of an evaporation experiment. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 14(5):765–781

    Google Scholar 

  • Schwartz RC, Casanova JJ, Pelletier MG, Evett SR, Baumhardt RL (2013) Soil permittivity response to bulk electrical conductivity for selected soil water sensors. Vadose Zone J 12(2)

  • Semananda NPK (2017) Assessment of the efficiency and effectiveness of wicking bed irrigation systems for urban agriculture. PhD thesis. University of South Australia, Adelaide

  • Semananda NPK, Ward JD, Myers BR (2016) Evaluating the efficiency of wicking bed irrigation systems for small-scale urban agriculture. Horticulturae. 2(4):13

    Google Scholar 

  • Semananda N, Ward J, Myers B (2018) A semi-systematic review of capillary irrigation: the benefits, limitations, and opportunities. Horticulturae. 4(3):23

    Google Scholar 

  • Sillers WS, Fredlund DG (2001) Statistical assessment of soil-water characteristic curve models for geotechnical engineering. Can Geotech J 38(6):1297–1313

    Google Scholar 

  • Silva Ursulino B, Maria Gico Lima Montenegro S, Paiva Coutinho A, Hugo Rabelo Coelho V, dos Santos Cezar, Araújo D, Gusmão Cláudia Villar, Angulo-Jaramillo R (2019) Modelling soil water dynamics from soil hydraulic parameters estimated by an alternative method in a tropical experimental basin. Water 11(5):1007

    Google Scholar 

  • Šimůnek J, Šejna M, Saito H, Sakai M, van Genuchten MTh (2008) The HYDRUS-1D software package for simulating the one-dimensional movement of water, heat, and multiple solutes in variably saturated media. Version 4.0, HYDRUS Software Series 3, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, p 315

  • Šimůnek J, van Genuchten MT, Šejna M (2016) Recent developments and applications of the HYDRUS computer software packages. Vadose Zone J 15(7)

  • Soil Survey Staff (2014) Soil survey field and laboratory methods manual. In: Soil survey investigations report no. 51, version 2. USDA-NRCS, Lincoln. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb1244466.pdf

  • Syme GJ, Shao Q, Po M, Campbell E (2004) Predicting and understanding home garden water use. Landsc Urban Plan. 68(1):121–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2003.08.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uwajeh PC, Ezennia IS (2018) The socio-cultural and ecological perspectives on landscape and gardening in urban environment: a narrative review. J Contemp Urban Aff 2(2):78–89

    Google Scholar 

  • van Genuchten MT (1980) A closed-form equation for predicting the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils 1. Soil Sci Soc Am J 44(5):892–898

    Google Scholar 

  • van Genuchten MT, van Leij FJ, Yates SR (1991) The RETC code for quantifying the hydraulic functions of unsaturated soils. In: Technical report EPA/600/2-91/065, US Environmental Protection Agency, Ada, OK, p 85

  • Walker WR, Skogerboe GV (1987) Surface irrigation. Theory and practice. Prentice-Hall, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Wentworth CK (1922) A scale of grade and class terms for clastic sediments. J Geol 30(5):377–392

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolfram S (2003) The mathematica book, 5th edn. Wolfram Research Inc./Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Wongkaew A, Saito H, Fujimaki H, Šimůnek J (2018) Numerical analysis of soil water dynamics in a soil column with an artificial capillary barrier growing leaf vegetables. Soil Use Manag 34(2):206–215

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang X, You X (2013) Estimating parameters of van Genuchten model for soil water retention curve by intelligent algorithms. Appl Math Inf Sci 7(5):1977

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang Y, Schaap MG (2017) Weighted recalibration of the Rosetta pedotransfer model with improved estimates of hydraulic parameter distributions and summary statistics (Rosetta3). J Hydrol 547:39–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhang ZF, Strickland CE, Link SO (2017) Design and performance evaluation of a 1000-year evapotranspiration-capillary surface barrier. J Environ Manag 187:31–42

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was funded by a grant from the Sultan Qaboos Higher Center for Culture and Science—Diwan of Royal Court and the Research Council of Oman (TRC) (RC/AGR/SWAE/17/01). The authors appreciate the additional in-kind support from SQU, Oman. Special thanks also go to Ms. Marwah Al-Batashi, Mr. Mohammed Al-Belushi, Mr. Hamid Al-Handhali, and Mr. Khalifa Al-Hinai for their help in the experiments. Thanks to Dr. Michel Claereboudt for guidance with the statistical analysis. Helpful comments, critique, and editing by three anonymous referees and editors are appreciated.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khoud, Muscat, 123, Oman

    A. Al-Mayahi, S. Al-Ismaily, A. Al-Maktoumi, H. Al-Busaidi & A. Kacimov

  2. Department of Crop Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khoud, Muscat, 123, Oman

    R. Janke

  3. Emeritus Professor Soil Science, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    J. Bouma

  4. Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA

    J. Šimůnek

Authors
  1. A. Al-Mayahi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Al-Ismaily
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Al-Maktoumi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. H. Al-Busaidi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. A. Kacimov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. R. Janke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. J. Bouma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. J. Šimůnek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Al-Ismaily.

Additional information

Communicated by Robert Schwartz.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 133 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Al-Mayahi, A., Al-Ismaily, S., Al-Maktoumi, A. et al. A smart capillary barrier-wick irrigation system for home gardens in arid zones. Irrig Sci 38, 235–250 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-020-00666-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00271-020-00666-3

Search

Navigation