Comparative evaluation of drip and sprinkler irrigation systems under varying soil moisture depletion levels for cucumber production

Climate variability continues to pose significant challenges to agricultural productivity, particularly in water-dependent crops such as cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Efficient irrigation management is therefore essential to enhance crop yield under changing environmental conditions. This study evaluated the effects of irrigation method (drip and sprinkler) and management allowable depletion (MAD) levels (50% and 70%) on cucumber yield parameters at the experimental farm of the Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria, in 2025. A 2 × 2 factorial experiments arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with three replications was used. Data collected included average fruit weight and fruit length, and were analyzed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at p ≤ 0.05. Results showed that both fruit weight and fruit length increased as MAD decreased from 70% to 50%, indicating improved yield performance under higher soil moisture availability. Drip irrigation consistently produced higher values of fruit weight and fruit length compared to sprinkler irrigation across all MAD levels. Statistical analysis revealed that MAD had a significant effect on both fruit weight and fruit length (p < 0.05), while irrigation method was not significant for fruit weight but showed a marginal effect on fruit length. The interaction between irrigation method and MAD was not significant for both parameters. Overall, the study demonstrates that maintaining lower soil moisture depletion levels (50% MAD) significantly enhances cucumber yield, with drip irrigation offering superior performance in optimizing water use efficiency and crop development.