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Abstract Laboratory experiments were carried out at Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University. While field experiments were carried out in an open field conditions during the season of 2012- 2013 at Wadi El-Natrown farm, El- Behera Governorate to study the effect of trickle irrigation operating parameters on sugar beet yield. The objectives of this study are to: 1. Determine the hydraulic operating characteristics of three different emitter types (Emitter flow function) by using laboratory testing apparatus. 2. Optimize some different operating parameters affecting the performance of trickle irrigation lateral lines by using special experimental trickle irrigation system. 3. Evaluate trickle irrigation system from the economic point of view. Laboratory experiments as well as field experiments were carried out to study the effect of some different operating parameters (lateral length, operating pressure, lateral diameter and emitter type) on the performance of trickle irrigation system. The performance of the used trickle irrigation system was evaluated in the laboratory in terms of emitter flow function, friction losses along the lateral, emission uniformity and flow rate variation, while its performance was evaluated in the field in terms of crop yield, water use efficiency and irrigation system cost. The obtained data reveal the following important point: • Trickle irrigation lateral length can be increased by decreasing the emitter discharge exponent (lower than 0.2). This means that a low variation in the discharge over a wide range of lateral line pressure is realized with the use of Euro-key emitter. • Euro-key emitter can be used with a long lateral lines of 60 m with lateral diameter of 18mm. while decreasing lateral length to 50 m at lateral diameter of 16mm • Normal emitter can be used with lateral length of 50 m at lateral diameter of 18 mm and 40 m at lateral diameter of 16mm. • The flag emitter recorded bad emission uniformity values under the minimum recommended value under all lateral lengths and all lateral diameters. • Maximum values of root yield and sugar yield of 24 and 4.8 Mg/fed were obtained with the use of Euro-key emitter, while the minimum values were 8 and 1.6 Mg/fed with the use of Flag emitter. |