2023 Volume 14 Issue 1 Pages 82-90
Vegetable production in Cambodia is unstable during the rainy season due to saturated soil conditions, leaving the comparative market advantage to neighboring Vietnam and Thailand. One potential solution that has been proposed is the introduction of a Subsurface Drainage (SD) system, as elucidated in our previous studies. In the current study, SD systems was installed on plots of Chinese cabbage in Svay Chrum District, Svay Rieng Province, to determine their potential in increasing the production period and productivity during the rainy season. The treatments consisted of three SD systems within three growing conditions (GC) including open-field, plastic house, and net house including five replications with a total of 45 plots. The results of the experiment showed positive improvement in terms of growth and yield of Chinese cabbage at a rate of 15% and 22% for SD2 and SD3 systems respectively; and 58% and 66% for net house and plastic house conditions, respectively. The extension of the production period from intermittent to year-round is of great benefit to vegetable producers, and will lead to improved market connections and better production margins, stabilizing income generation. However, the analysis still excluded the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of the experiment due to the absence of detailed data on expenditures, including the cost of drainage pipes, construction of the net and plastic houses, and water consumption.
