| Summary: | The purposes of this thesis are to examine experimental results obtained with subsurface irrigation of maize in 1988, and to provide preliminary plans and an economic analysis for the subsurface irrigation of maize in Richelieu County, Quebec. A mean increase in maize yield of 3.7 % was observed in 1988 on experimental plots with subsurface irrigation at the Charbonneau farm. However, a review of results obtained at the same experimental site from 1982 to 1988 indicated that the mean increase in maize yield with subsurface irrigation was 29 %. === Plans for two possible water supply systems designed to provide 180 mm a year of irrigation water for the subsurface irrigation of 1,250 ha in Richelieu County were considered. An economic analysis indicates that subsurface irrigation using groundwater has the greatest net benefits with an internal rate of return of 22.92 % and benefit to cost ratios of 1.90, 1.72 and 1.56 for discount rates of 8 %, 10 % and 12 % respectively. However, much of the groundwater in this region is saline and its use for irrigation may need to be restricted. Subsurface Irrigation using surface water from the Yamaska River was also profitable with an internal rate of return of 17.31 % and benefit to cost ratios of 1.66, 1.46 and 1.30 for the same discount rates.
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