Suitability of Um Tagargar watershed North Kordofan for water harvesting

This study was carried out in Urn Tagargar Watershed, south of AI-Obpid Town,.North Kordofan State, in three different sites. The three sites were Ban-gadeed, Guluk and Banno. The study was conducted in two consecutive seasons of 2003 and 2004. The objectives of the study was to determine the suitability of the watershed for water harvesting with different tillage practices and to demonstrate its effect on some soil characteristics and yield of sorghum cultivar Yarwasha, which was introduced by AI-Obeid Agricultural Research Station from West Africa. Three soil profiles were opened to investigate soil physical and chemical characteristics of the three sites. Four treatments were, used, including Chiseling, Ridging, Disc harrowing with earth bonds, and earth bonds without tillage as water harvesting measures and no tillage as a control were arranged in randomized complete block design (RCBD)with three replicates. Each site was represented by 0.42 ha. An early maturing sorghum variety Yarwasha 'was hand sown and weeded twice. Soil moisture was monitored in June, July, August, and September at the top soil (0 - 30) cm and the sub:. soil (30 - 60) cm depths. Crop performance and yield were also investigated and determined. Results revealed that different tillage systems showed different effect on soil moisture content and crop performance in each site. Chisel plow with earth bunds scored the highest moisture content in July, August and September, and consequently the best crop performance. Ridging with earth bunds recorded tl1e second score in soil moisture content and crop performance while disc harrow with earth bunds and no tillage with earth bunds recorded the least soil moisture content and the poorest crop performance.The three sites responded differently to tillage practices and water harvesting measures. Guluk site recorded the highest soil moisture content in both depths with different tillage and water harvesting measures and consequently recorded the highest crop performance and yield. Ban.gadeed site recorded the second highest soil moisture content in both depths with different tillage and water harvesting meusures while, Banno site recorded the least soil moisture content and crop performance. Nevertheless, the three sites showed significant differences with tillage practices and water harvesting measures compared to no tillage without water harvesting measures.Those results were good evidence showed that Urn Tagrager watershed (8.000 ha). is suitable and could be recommended for crop production using water harvesting techniques.