Rice is a staple food worldwide and ranks fourth in dietary importance in Burkina Faso. However, national production remains insufficient to meet rising demand due
to inadequate rainfall, a critical constraint for this water-intensive crop. Water-efficient irrigation systems offer a promising solution to address water scarcity and improve
yields. This study from December 2021 to April 2022 assessed the agro-physiological performance of five rice varieties under three irrigation methods: drip, sprinkler, and
submersion. The experiment was conducted using a split-plot design with three replications, allowing for the evaluation of environmental, physiological, growth,
and productivity parameters. Results showed higher vapor pressure deficits (VPD) and soil moisture levels under drip irrigation. Soil moisture levels were consistently
higher under drip irrigation (0.175 ± 0.007 m³/m³) compared to the sprinkler system (0.145 ± 0.003 m³/m³) both before and after irrigation events. Submersion irrigation increased stomatal conductance, with FKR80 showing the highest rate (327 ± 7.6 mmol m⁻² s⁻¹). Rice cultivated under drip irrigation exhibited superior light interception compared to sprinkler and submersion methods. Chlorophyll content at heading was highest under drip irrigation for the varieties FKR19 (45.19 ± 1.70) and FKR62N (45.7 ± 1.85). The highest grain and straw yields, along with the best water use efficiency (WUE), were achieved using the drip irrigation mode. Varieties FKR19 and FKR62N excelled, with grain yields of 10.67 ± 1.9 t/ha and 10.93 ± 1.5 t/ha and WUE of 19.75 ± 1.56 and 20.24 ± 1.88 kg/ha/mm, respectively. This highlights of this irrigation mode potential to mitigate rainfall variability in tropic zone.

Irrigation mode, Rice, Stomatal conductance, Water use efficiency, Yield, Burkina Faso