Modeling irrigated cotton with shallow groundwater in the Aral Sea Basin of Uzbekistan: I. Water dynamics

In Khorezm, a region located in the Aral Sea basin of Uzbekistan, water use for irrigation of predominantly cotton is high whereas water use efficiency is low. To quantify the seasonal water and salt balance, water application, crop growth, soil water, and groundwater dynamics were studied on a sandy, sandy loam and loamy cotton field in the years 2003 and 2005. To simulate and quantify improved management strategies and update irrigation standards, the soil water model Hydrus-1D was applied. Results showed that shallow groundwater contributed a substantial share (up to 399 mm) to actual evapotranspiration of cotton (estimated at 488–727 mm), which alleviated water stress in response to suboptimal quantities of water applied for irrigation, but enhanced concurrently secondary soil salinization. Thus, pre-season salt leaching becomes a necessity. Nevertheless, as long as farmers face high uncertainty in irrigation water supply, maintaining shallow groundwater tables can be considered as a safety-net against unreliable water delivery. Simulations showed that in 2003 around 200 mm would have been sufficient during pre-season leaching, whereas up to 300 mm of water was applied in reality amounting to an overuse of almost 33%. Using some of this water during the irrigation season would have alleviated season crop-water stress such as in June 2003. Management strategy analyses revealed that crop water uptake would only marginally benefit from a permanent crop residue layer, often recommended as part of conservation agriculture. Such a mulch layer, however, would substantially reduce soil evaporation, capillary rise of groundwater, and consequently secondary soil salinization. The simulations furthermore demonstrated that not relying on the contribution of shallow groundwater to satisfy crop water demand is possible by implementing timely and soil-specific irrigation scheduling. Water use would then not be higher than the current Uzbek irrigation standards. It is argued that if furrow irrigation is to be continued, pure sandy soils, which constitute <5% of the agricultural soils in Khorezm, are best to be taken out of annual cotton production.     

Water and salt balance at irrigation scheme scale: A comprehensive approach for salinity assessment in a Saharan oasis

Salt balance methods are generally applied in the root-zone and at local scales but do not provide relevant information for salinity management at irrigation scheme scales, where there are methodological impediments. A simple salt balance model was developed at irrigation scheme and yearly time scales and applied in Fatnassa oasis (Nefzaoua, Tunisia). It accounts for input by irrigation, export by drainage and groundwater flow, and provides novel computation of the influence of biogeochemical processes and variations in the resident amount of salt for each chemical component in the soil and shallow groundwater. Impediments were overcome by limiting the depth of the system so that the resident amount of salt that remained was of the same order of magnitude as salt inputs and allowed indirect and reliable estimation of groundwater flow. Sensitivity analyses as partial derivatives of groundwater salinity were carried out according to non-reactive salt balance under steady-state assumption. These analyses enabled the magnitude of the salinization process to be foreseen as a function of hydrological changes linked to irrigation, drainage, groundwater flow and extension of the irrigated area. From a salt input of 39 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ by irrigation, 21 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ (54%) and 10 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ (26%) were exported by groundwater flow and drainage, respectively. 7 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ (18%) were removed from groundwater by geochemical processes, while a non-significant 2 Mg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹ were estimated to have been stored in the soil and shallow groundwater where the residence time was only 2.7 years. The leaching efficiency of drainage was estimated at 0.77. With a water supply of 1360 mm by irrigation and 90 mm by rainfall, drainage, groundwater flow and actual evapotranspiration were 130, 230, and 1090 mm, respectively. The current extension of date palm plantations and salinization of groundwater resources are expected to significantly increase the salinity hazard while the degradation of the drainage system is expected to be of lesser impact. The approach was successfully implemented in Fatnassa oasis and proved to be particularly relevant in small or medium irrigation schemes where groundwater fluxes are significant.     

Groundwater table and salinity: Spatial and temporal distribution and influence on soil salinization in Khorezm region (Uzbekistan, Aral Sea Basin)

Groundwater (GW) management is an essential element in irrigated agriculture. This paper analyzes the temporal dynamics of GW table and salinity in Khorezm, a region of Uzbekistan which is situated on the lower Amu Darya River in the Aral Sea Basin and suffering from severe soil salinization. We furthermore identify the critical areas for potential soil salinization by examining GW table and salinity measured during 1990–2000 in 1,972 wells, covering the entire region. Additionally, case studies were performed to assess the contribution of the GW to the soil salinization on a field scale. Over the entire area, GW was only moderately saline averaging 1.75 ± 0.99 g l⁻¹ However, GW levels were generally very shallow averaging 148 ± 57 cm below the ground surface and thus likely to prompt secondary soil salinization. Three case studies where GW table, soil and GW salinity were closely monitored at the field scale, suggested that the elevated GW levels forced soil salinization by annually adding 3.5–14 t ha⁻¹ of salts depending on the position and salinity of the GW table. Maps interpolated from the regional dataset revealed that GW was significantly shallower and more saline in the western and southern parts of Khorezm despite the presence of a drainage network which is rather uniformly distributed throughout the region. The results of the current study will assist the development of an improved drainage management in Khorezm.     

A modified checkbook irrigation method based on GIS-coupled model for regional irrigation scheduling

In this study, a regional irrigation schedule optimization method was proposed and applied in Fengqiu County in the North China Plain, which often suffers serious soil water drainage and nitrogen (N) leaching problems caused by excessive irrigation. The irrigation scheduling method was established by integrating the ‘checkbook irrigation method’ into a GIS-coupled soil water and nitrogen management model (WNMM) as an extension. The soil water and crop information required by the checkbook method, and previously collected from field observations, was estimated by the WNMM. By replacing manually observed data with simulated data from WNMM, the application range of the checkbook method could be extended from field scale to regional scale. The WNMM and the checkbook irrigation method were both validated by field experiments in the study region. The irrigation experiment in fluvo–aquic soil showed that the checkbook method had excellent performance; soil water drainage and N leaching were reduced by 83.1 and 85.6%, respectively, when compared with local farmers’ flood irrigation. Using the validated WNMM, the performance of checkbook irrigation in an entire winter wheat and summer maize rotation was also validated: the average soil water drainage and N leaching in four types of soils decreased from 331 to 75 mm year⁻¹ and 47.7 to 9.3 kg ha⁻¹ year⁻¹, respectively; and average irrigation water use efficiency increased from 26.5 to 57.2 kg ha⁻¹ mm⁻¹. The regional irrigation schedule optimization method based on WNMM was applied in Fengqiu County. The results showed a good effect on saving irrigation water, decreasing soil water drainage and then saving agricultural inputs. In a typical meteorological year, it could save >110 mm of irrigation water on average, translating to >7.26 × 10⁷ m³ of agricultural water saved each year within the county. Annual soil water drainage was reduced to <143 mm and N leaching to <27 kg ha⁻¹ in most soils, all of which were significantly lower than local farmers’ flood irrigation. In the mean time, crop yield also had an average increase of 2,890 kg ha⁻¹ when checkbook irrigation was applied.     

Simulations on direct and cyclic use of saline waters for sustaining cotton–wheat in a semi-arid area of north-west India

A validated agro-hydrological model soil water atmosphere plant (SWAP) was applied to formulate guidelines for irrigation planning in cotton–wheat crop rotation using saline ground water as such and in alternation with canal water for sustainable crop production. Six ground water qualities (4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14 dS/m), four irrigation schedules with different irrigation depths (4, 6, 8 and 10  cm) and two soil types (sandy loam and loamy sand) were considered for each simulation. The impact of the each irrigation scenario on crop performance, and salinization/desalinisation processes occurring in the soil profile (0–2 m) was evaluated through Water Management Response Indicators (WMRIs). The criterion adopted for sustainable crop production was a minimum of pre-specified values of ET_rel (≥0.75 and ≥0.65 for wheat and cotton, respectively) at the end of the 5th year of simulation corresponding to minimum deep percolation loss of applied water. The extended simulation study revealed that it was possible to use the saline water upto 14 dS/m alternatively with canal water for cotton–wheat rotation in both sandy loam and loamy sand soils. In all situations pre-sown irrigation must be accomplished with canal water (0.3–0.4 dS/m). Also when the quality of ground water deteriorates beyond 10 dS/m, it was suggested to use groundwater for post-sown irrigations alternately with canal water. Generally, percolation losses increased with the increase in level of salinity of ground water to account for leaching and thus maintain a favourable salt balance in the root zone to achieve pre-specified values of ET_rel.     

BP网络在焉耆盆地土壤积盐影响因素分析中的应用

以焉耆盆地为例，采用BP网络技术，对土壤舍盐量与各种影响因素的关系作了初步定量评价，发现潜水矿化度和潜水位埋深是土壤舍盐量的最敏感因素，其次是灌区引水量、引盐量和地下水蒸发量，其中灌区引水量大是焉耆盆地土壤次生盐渍化加剧的最主要因素；而潜水位埋深是土壤脱盐最敏感的因素。焉耆盆地土壤次生盐渍化防治应从减少灌溉引水量和降低地下水位入手。     

Net changes of main ions in the soil profile of irrigated field plots in central Spain

Implementation of improved irrigation schedules in some semiarid zones improve water efficiency and can be recommended where occasional periods of heavy rainfall may remove some of the accumulated salts. We hypothesized, however, that the leaching pattern of the main ions may differ regarding their potential contribution to the total salt discharge. The experiment was conducted near Madrid in Spain on a typical Xerofluvent soil with sandy-loam texture in the first 0.5 m. For 4 years, a traditional crop rotation of corn–wheat–corn–oat (Zea mays L.–Triticum aestivum L.–Zea mays L.–Avena sativa L.) was planted and two irrigation treatments (traditional and improved) were applied only to the corn. In an experimental set-up of 24 plots, samples of the soil solutions were extracted 61 times during the experiment at soil depths of 0.4, 0.9 and 1.4 m. During the experiment, drainage volume was estimated in plots under the two irrigation schedules. Main ions in the soil solution were SO₄²⁻, Cl⁻, Ca²⁺, Na⁺ and HCO₃⁻. These solutes accounted for 88% of total salt discharge under the two irrigation treatments. Two main patterns of salt leaching were observed. For most main ions, except HCO₃⁻, the input to discharge ratio was lower than one. Also for HCO₃⁻ , the irrigation treatment did not affect the leaching pattern (higher input than discharge under the two irrigation treatments). Improved irrigation schedules can be implemented without increasing the total salt load, but attention should be paid to specific leaching patterns of individual ions.     

An alternative water source and combined agronomic practices for cotton irrigation in coastal saline soils

The field experiment for cotton crop (Gossypium hirsutum L.) was conducted at the Zhongjie Farm, Huanghua city of Hebei province in the coastal salinity-affected areas in North China Plain, to determine the effects of an alternative of irrigation water sources/methods and agronomic practices on seedling emergence and yields of cotton, soil water–salt distributions, and soil pH changes during cotton growth stages. The experiment was setup using split-plot design with two water sources as main treatments (well water/desalinized sea-ice water); two irrigation methods (+PAM (Polyacrylamide)/−PAM); and four fertilization modes: check (CK), mineral fertilizer (F), mineral + organic fertilizer (FM), and mineral fertilizer + gypsum (FG). Using desalinized sea-ice water irrigation showed the same effects on top-soil salt leaching and desalinization as using well water did. There was no significant difference in seedling emergence and cotton yields between two irrigation water sources for cotton irrigation. Using PAM-treated irrigation, the 10-cm top-soil salinity significantly decreased to about 2.3–3.9 g kg⁻¹ from 4.6 to 8.6 g kg⁻¹ (PAM untreated). The PAM-treated irrigation increased seedling emergence by about 13, 29 and 36% and yields by about 50, 49, and 70%, with F, FM, and FG, respectively, as compared with CK. PAM-treated irrigation, either using well water or desalinized sea ice, especially in combination with gypsum-fertilization, shows the best practice for both seedling emergence and cotton yields. In conclusion, the desalinized sea-ice water used as an alternative water source, integrated with better agronomic practices of soil water-salt management could be acceptable for cotton irrigation in the coastal saline areas.     

Yield and quality of two tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivars as influenced by drip and furrow irrigation using waters having high residual sodium carbonate

Performance of tomato when irrigated with sodic waters particularly under drip irrigation is not well known. A field experiment was conducted for 3 years to study the response of tomato crop to sodic water irrigation on a sandy loam soil. Irrigation waters having 0, 5 and 10 mmol_c L⁻¹ residual sodium carbonate (RSC) were applied through drip and furrow irrigation to two tomato cultivars, Edkawi (a salt tolerant cultivar) and Punjab Chhuhara (PC). High RSC of irrigation water significantly increased soil pH, ECe and exchangeable sodium percentage progressively; the increases were higher in furrow compared to drip irrigation. Effect of high RSC on increasing bulk density and decreasing infiltration rate of soil was also pronounced in furrow-irrigated plots. Higher soil moisture and lower salinity near the plant was maintained under drip irrigation than under furrow irrigation. Performance of the two cultivars was significantly different; pooled over 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons, PC yielded 38.8 and 30.0 Mg ha⁻¹ and Edkawi yielded 31.8 and 22.9 Mg ha⁻¹ under drip and furrow irrigation, respectively. At RSC10, cultivar PC produced 38 and 46% higher fruit yield than cultivar Edkawi under drip and furrow irrigation, respectively. Reduction in fruit yield at higher RSC was due to lower fruit weight under drip irrigation and due to reduced fruit number as well as fruit weight under furrow irrigation. Decrease in fruit weight was more pronounced in cultivar Edkawi than in cultivar PC. Increase in RSC lowered quality of the fruits except the ascorbic acid content. High RSC under drip irrigation, in general, had lesser deteriorating effect on the fruit quality particularly for cultivar PC than under furrow irrigation. For obtaining high tomato yield and better-quality fruits using high RSC sodic waters, drip irrigation should be preferred over furrow irrigation. Better performance of local cultivar PC compared to Edkawi at medium and high RSC suggests that cultivars categorized as tolerant to salinity should be evaluated in the sodic environment particularly when irrigated with high RSC sodic waters.     

Effect of brackish water irrigation and straw mulching on soil salinity and crop yields under monsoonal climatic conditions

Fresh water shortages are severally restricting sustainable agriculture development in the North China Plain. The scarcity of fresh water has forced farmers to use brackish water from shallow underground sources, which helps to overcome drought and increase crop yields but also increases the risk of soil salinization. To identify safe and effective ways of using brackish water in this region, field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of brackish water irrigation and straw mulching on soil salinity and crop yield in a winter wheat-summer maize double cropping system. The experiment was in a split-plot design. Six rates of straw mulching (0, 4.5, 6.0, 7.5, 15.0 and 30.0 Mg/ha) were assigned to the main plots and two irrigation water qualities (i.e. brackish water with salt content of 3.0-5.0 g/L and fresh water with only 1.27 g salt/L) were applied to subplots. The brackish water irrigation significantly increased the salt content at different soil depths in the upper 1 m soil layer during the two growing seasons. Straw mulching affected the vertical distribution of salt in the brackish water irrigation plots and the average salt content of straw mulch treatments (4.5, 6.0, 7.5, 15.0 and 30.0 Mg/ha) within the 0-20, 20-40 and 0-100 cm soil depths was 10.2, 14.0 and 1.8% lower than that without straw mulch (A₀). No salt accumulation occurred to a depth of 1 m in the brackish water irrigation plots and there was no correlation between the value of SAS (salt accumulated in 1 m of soil) and straw mulch rate. In 2000 and 2001, the salt content within the 0-40 cm soil layer in brackish water irrigation plots increased due to high evaporation rates during April-June, and then decreased up to September as salts were leached by rain. For the fresh water irrigation plots, the salt content remained relatively stable. Straw mulching affected the salt content in the 0-40 cm soil layer in brackish water irrigation plots in different periods of 2000 and 2001, but no correlation between salt content and straw mulch rates was observed except in September of 2000. Unlike for wheat, the yield of maize increased as the straw mulch rate increased according to the equation, y = 0.1589x + 5.3432 (R² = 0.6506). Our results would be helpful in adopting brackish water irrigation and straw mulching in ways that enhance crop yields and reduce the risk of soil salinization. However, long-term effects of brackish water irrigation and straw mulching on soil salinity and crop yield need to be further evaluated for sustainability of the system.     

惠民县微咸水灌溉区土壤水盐运移数值模拟及分析

为合理利用水资源、保证地下水盐环境,以惠民县桑落墅项目区为研究对象,运用HYDRUS软件,构建了土壤水盐运移数值模型,并在微咸水灌溉条件下对该地区土壤水盐运移进行了数值模拟和分析。结果表明,HYDRUS模型可以较好对土壤水盐运移规律进行模拟,按照淡水-微咸水-淡水顺序灌溉,每次灌后土壤湿润层积盐位置分别离土壤表层40、40、20 cm。5月土壤含盐量最低,4月土壤含盐量较3、5月偏高。3月土壤含水率最低,5月较3、4月要高。3、4、5月,研究区地下水埋深变化范围为0.7~3.5 m。研究区域土壤属于轻度盐渍化。     

论新疆平原灌区土壤盐碱化与水资源开发

通过对灌区土壤盐碱化及治理阶段的分析可以看出,灌区土壤盐碱化的严重程度与水资源开发利用的方式和程度是密切相关的,是灌区水盐不平衡所致。为此,在以水资源合理开发利用为中心的灌区水土资源利用规划中,应将维持绿洲水盐平衡的水量视为“生态用水”,将盐份聚集地视为“生态用地”。实现流域水土资源合理配置,是新疆平原灌区土壤盐碱化治理的关键。     

基于指示Kriging的土壤盐渍化风险与地下水环境分析

土壤盐渍化是制约干旱区农业发展的主要障碍,而浅埋地下水区域的地下水环境是影响土壤盐渍化的直接因素。为调控合理的地下水埋深和矿化度,以防控区域盐渍化,以河套灌区永济灌域为研究区,运用指示Kriging法比较了春灌前和生育期不同阈值条件下土壤表层含盐量、地下水埋深和矿化度的概率分布,从概率空间分布的角度研究了不同时期防治土壤盐渍化的地下水临界埋深和矿化度。结果表明：地下水埋深属于中等变异性,土壤表层含盐量和地下水矿化度属于强变异性。春灌前较生育期土壤表层盐渍化高风险区扩大、浅埋地下水高概率区缩小、地下水矿化高风险区缩小。春灌前永济灌域土壤表层发生轻度、中度盐渍化时的地下水埋深临界值分别为2.6、2.2 m,地下水矿化度临界值分别为2.0、2.5 g/L;生育期土壤表层发生轻度、中度盐渍化时的地下水埋深临界值分别为2.2、1.8 m,地下水矿化度临界值分别为2.5、3.0 g/L,春灌前更易发生土壤盐渍化。春灌前较生育期土壤盐分受外界因素（气象因素和人为因素）影响小,且土壤表层含盐量、地下水埋深和矿化度变异性也相对较小,地下水环境对土壤盐渍化的影响更强烈。研究区北部、东南部和中部小部分区域为地下水埋深小于临界值且大于矿化度临界值的高概率区,是土壤返盐的高风险区,建议进一步完善该地区的排水系统。     

The dynamics of groundwater table and salinity over 17 years in Khorezm

Salinization of irrigated agricultural land threatens ecological sustainability and livelihoods of people. Salinization is especially severe in the dry lowlands world-wide and in Central Asia where large amounts of salts accumulated in the soil profile, originating from shallow saline groundwater (GW). Analysis of the unique dataset of 2000 monitoring wells of GW table and salinity in lowland Khorezm region of Uzbekistan over the period of 1990 till 2006 showed shallow GW levels of 1.1-1.4 m (±0.48-0.66 m) at start of leaching periods and 0.9-1.4 (±0.43-0.63 m) in July during the annual growing seasons. While leaching efficiency is decreased, shallow GW in July is far above the optimum levels of 1.4-1.5 m. The effects of topography, soil texture, and irrigation and drainage networks were found to favor shallow GW forced by excessive water diversion. The drainage network, which is seen by many specialists as underdeveloped and its improvement necessary to arrest unacceptable GW levels, is being used under its full capacity. The solution to alleviate land degradation is not only an improved drainage, but better controlled and more flexible water management.     

南疆灌区无排水系统滴灌条件下地下水特性时空变化

针对南疆绿洲灌区224团果树滴灌条件下次生盐渍化的问题,通过在项目区布设观测井,逐月不间断的对地下水的埋深、水位及矿化度进行监测,开展对其变化规律的研究。年度观测结果显示,地下水埋深及水位在果树生育期的灌前及灌后相对较低,灌溉期内最大涨幅接近1m;地下水矿化度灌前、灌后最小,灌溉期内在2～5.8g/L范围内变动,矿化度...     

基于水盐生产函数的绿洲灌区水盐调控研究

土壤次生盐碱化是新疆灌溉农业所面临的最大环境问题。灌溉农业的快速扩展与灌排系统不完善是造成土壤次生盐碱化发生与恶化的关键因素。以水盐生产函数为依据,计算了不同生育阶段及全生育期阶段棉花相对产量与土壤全盐的关系,依据该计算结果对塔里木灌区的土壤盐化程度做了初步划分。基于塔里木灌区地下水埋深较浅且多为微咸水的事实,比较深入地探讨了地下水合理的动态水位及作物对潜水利用问题。最后,提出了灌区水盐调控的对策,强调排水系统的通畅运行是控制土壤次生盐碱化的关键,通过排水系统和减少灌溉定额使作物生长期的地下水埋深控制在1.6~2.1 m内,不但可以减少排水成本,而且也可使作物充分利用地下水,同时促进塔里木河水质的改善。     

地下水位与灌溉定额对棉花土壤水分的动态影响模拟

地下水埋深对土壤水势分布及土壤次生盐碱化具有重要影响.以新疆孔雀河流域为例,利用HYDRUS-2D软件对不同地下水位与灌溉定额下的棉花膜下滴灌土壤体积含水率的动态变化进行了模拟.结果表明:当地下水埋深为1.5 m时,地下水对土壤水的顶托作用较强,灌溉定额为3 300 m³/hm²时可使棉花生育期不受水分胁迫;当地下水埋深为2.0 m时,地下水对土壤水的补给能力下降,灌溉调控的作用逐渐加强,灌溉定额为3 900 m³/hm²时属轻度胁迫,对产量影响较小,而灌溉定额为4 500 m³/hm²时,基本不受胁迫,对产量影响极小;当地下水埋深大于2.5 m时,地下水对土壤水的补给作用进一步弱化,灌溉定额为4 500 m³/hm²时属于中度胁迫,会造成一定程度减产.研究结果为指导当地地下水资源开发利用及棉花种植业发展提供了重要参考.     

Effects of diluted Kraft pulp mill effluent on hybrid poplar and soil chemical properties

Irrigation with effluents can detrimentally affect soil physical and chemical properties and impact plant growth and development. Excessive irrigation can leach salts from the root zone; which can be accomplished by precipitation in some areas. This study was conducted to examine the effect of applications of Kraft pulp mill effluent (KPME) with and without distilled water (DW) to simulate precipitation would have on soil chemical properties and growth of hybrid poplar (Populus deltoides × P. petrowskyana L. cv. Walker). Distilled water (DW), KPME, and a 50% combination (v/v; COMB) of DW and KPME were applied at rates of 6 and 9 mm day⁻¹. COMB resulted in heights, biomasses, and leaf areas that were greater than those for KPME and comparable to those for DW. Diluted KPME treatments (i.e., COMB) still significantly increased soil electrical conductivity and sodium adsorption ratio compared to DW. Leachate collected from KPME 9 mm day⁻¹ had concentrations of HCO₃ ⁻, SO₄ ²⁻, Cl⁻, Ca²⁺, K⁺, and Mg²⁺ comparable to those collected from COMB 9 mm day⁻¹, but Na⁺ concentrations were three times higher in KPME than COMB 9 mm day⁻¹. Results indicate that precipitation or additional irrigation water could potentially provide the leaching necessary to prevent salt accumulation within the rooting zone; however, irrigating with saline or sodic effluents requires careful management.     

Soil N and salinity leaching after the autumn irrigation and its impact on groundwater in Hetao Irrigation District,China

Soil water and salinity are crucial factors influencing crop production in arid regions. An autumn irrigation system employing the application of a large volume of water (2200–2600 m³ ha⁻¹) is being developed in the Hetao Irrigation District of China, since the 1980s with the goal to reduce salinity levels in the root zone and increase the water availability for the following spring crops. However, the autumn irrigation can cause significant quantities of NO₃⁻ to leach from the plant root zone into the groundwater. In this study, we investigated the changes in soil water content, NO₃–N and salinity within a 150 cm deep soil profile in four different types of farmlands: spring wheat (F_W), maize (F_M), spring wheat–maize inter-planting (F_W–M) and sunflower (F_S). Our results showed that (1) salt losses mainly occurred in the upper 60 cm of the soil and in the upper 40 cm for NO₃–N; (2) the highest losses of salt and NO₃–N could be observed in F_W, whereas the lowest losses were found in F_W–M.NO₃–N concentration, pH and electrical conductivity (EC) in the groundwater were also monitored before and after the autumn irrigation. We found that the autumn irrigation caused the groundwater concentration of NO₃–N to increase from 1.73 to 21.6 mg L⁻¹, thereby, exceeding the standards of the World Health Organization (WHO). Our results suggest that extensive development of inter-planting tillage might be a viable measure to reduce groundwater pollution, and that the application of optimized minimum amounts of water and nitrogen to meet realistic yield goals, as well as the timely application of N fertilizers and the use of slow release fertilizers can be viable measures to minimize nitrate leaching.     

典型干旱区绿洲棉田土壤返盐、积盐特征研究

为防治干旱区棉田土壤次生盐渍化,通过研究典型干旱区绿洲棉田土壤盐分在生育期始末的变化特征,分析了当地棉田土壤盐分迁移累积趋势。研究结果表明:研究区棉田土壤盐分在生育期始末的变化趋势基本相同,即呈现出随深度的增加而增大的趋势;土壤盐分在剖面的累积程度生育期初比生育期末大。对比分析认为,生育期始末,土壤表层0~20 cm土层呈现返盐趋势但其程度较弱,基本属于非盐化土或轻度盐化土壤,能够满足棉花出苗及后期生长要求;在生育期初,研究区各地块100 cm土层土壤盐分值高达7 g/kg左右,属于中度盐渍化土壤,具有较大的潜力导致后期土壤返盐现象的发生。大量积雪及秋季茬灌能较好地对土壤盐分起到淋洗作用,有效防止灌区棉田土壤次生盐渍化的发生。