Prediction of leaching fraction from soil properties,irrigation water and rainfall

Summary Fine textured soils (> 40% clay) form a major proportion of irrigated soils in northeastern Australia. More than half these soils are irrigated with groundwater, some of which has high salinity (electrical conductivity > 2.9 mS cm^–1). A simple prediction of salt leaching was sought to aid in land management decisions.An empirical model of leaching fraction is presented based on rainfall and easily measured soil properties related to hydraulic conductivity. The model is based on data from 766 soils. To account for the complexity of interactions between soil properties, the data was stratified into groups based on clay content and mineralogy (expressed here as CEC/clay ratio). This allowed simple linear regressions using ESP and rainfall to be developed to predict leaching fraction.When applied to irrigated soils, a salinity correction term (EC_{rain+irrigation}/EC_rain) was used to account for the flocculation effects of the increased salinity of irrigation waters. The model gave good predictions of leaching fraction for two irrigation regions with widely differing soil properties (Fig. 4).     

Water-use patterns of tall fescue and hybrid bluegrass cultivars subjected to ET-based irrigation scheduling

In turf industry, the ability of a cultivar to use less water is an important consideration, especially where rainfall and irrigation water are insufficient. Knowledge of turf grass water-use patterns is therefore important for developing efficient water management practices and also for selection of drought-resistant cultivars. We evaluated the soil water‐use patterns of tall fescue and hybrid bluegrasses cultivars irrigated at different rates. Field experiments were conducted at the Turfgrass Research Facility, Auburn University, AL, in 2005 and 2006. Two tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) cultivars (‘Kentucky 31’ and ‘Green Keeper’) and four hybrid bluegrass (Poa pratensis L. × Poa arachnifera Torr.) cultivars, viz., HB 129 [‘Thermal Blue’], HB 130 (Experimental line), HB 328 (Experimental line) and HB 329 [‘Dura Blue’] were included in this study. Plots were irrigated based on the potential evapotranspiration, viz., 100% ET, 80% ET and 60% ET replacements. Tensiometers were installed at 0.075, 0.15 and 0.30 m depths, and their readings used to calculate the matric head, water content and water-use values. Turf color quality was determined from turf canopy digital images. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) for a random complete block design (RCBD) was conducted for available water, water-use and turf color quality values. Hybrid bluegrasses revealed significantly (P = 0.05) higher turf color indices compared to the tall fescue cultivars, but there was no indication of differential responses to irrigation among cultivars. Based on water-use data, hybrid bluegrass cultivars revealed significantly (P = 0.05) lower water-use compared to tall fescue cultivars.     

Effect of irrigation methods,management and salinity of irrigation water on tomato yield,soil moisture and salinity distribution

The increasing demand for irrigation water to secure food for growing populations with limited water supply suggests re-thinking the use of non-conventional water resources. The latter includes saline drainage water, brackish groundwater and treated waste water. The effects of using saline drainage water (electrical conductivity of 4.2–4.8 dS m⁻¹) to irrigate field-grown tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill cv Floradade) using drip and furrow irrigation systems were evaluated, together with the distribution of soil moisture and salt. The saline water was either diluted to different salinity levels using fresh water (blended) or used cyclically with fresh water. The results of two seasons of study (2001 and 2002) showed that increasing salinity resulted in decreased leaf area index, plant dry weight, fruit total yield and individual fruit weight. In all cases, the growth parameters and yield as well as the water use efficiency were greater for drip irrigated tomato plants than furrow-irrigated plants. However, furrow irrigation produced higher individual fruit weight. The electrical conductivity of the soil solution (extracted 48 h after irrigation) showed greater fluctuations when cyclic water management was used compared to those plots irrigated with blended water. In both drip and furrow irrigation, measurements of soil moisture one day after irrigation, showed that soil moisture was higher at the top 20 cm layer and at the location of the irrigation water source; soil moisture was at a minimum in the root zone (20–40 cm layer), but showed a gradual increase at 40–60 and 60–90 cm and was stable at 90–120 cm depth. Soil water content decreased gradually as the distance from the irrigation water source increased. In addition, a few days after irrigation, the soil moisture content decreased, but the deficit was most pronounced in the surface layer. Soil salinity at the irrigation source was lower at a depth of 15 cm (surface layer) than that at 30 and 60 cm, and was minimal in deeper layers (i.e. 90 cm). Salinity increased as the distance from the irrigation source increased particularly in the surface layer. The results indicated that the salinity followed the water front. We concluded that the careful and efficient management of irrigation with saline water can leave the groundwater salinity levels unaffected and recommended the use of drip irrigation as the fruit yield per unit of water used was on average one-third higher than when using furrow irrigation.     

Grapefruit response to variable salinity in irrigation water and soil

Summary Results are reported from a long-term field experiment designed to determine the effect of irrigation water salinity on the yield and water uptake of mature grapefruit trees. Treatments were started in 1970 and consisted of chloride concentrations in the irrigation water of 7.1, 11.4 and 17.1 meq/1 added as NaCl+CaCl₂ at a 1 : 1 weight ratio.For the last four years of the experiment, 1973 to 1976, yield was linearly related to the mean chloride concentration in the soil saturation extract weighted according to the distribution of water uptake with depth and time (Fig. 2, Table 1). There was a 1.45% (1.68 Mg/ha) yield reduction for each 1 meq/1 increase in chloride concentration above a threshold value of 4.5 meq/1. This corresponded to a 13.5% (14.7 Mg/ha) decrease per 1 mmho/cm increase in the electrical conductivity of the soil saturation extract above a threshold value of 1.2 mmho/cm.Total water uptake was reduced as salt concentration in the soil increased (Fig. 3, Table 2). In the high salinity treatment, root concentration in, and water uptake from, the lower portion of the root zone were decreased. The maximum electrical conductivity (ECe) measured at the bottom of the root zone was 7.90 mmho/cm similar to the values of EC, obtained by linear extrapolation to zero yield and also to zero water uptake.Salt accumulation in the soil depended on the quantity and salt concentration of the irrigation water, rainfall, and on the amount of leaching. SAR and the Na⁺ concentration of the soil remained low throughout the experiment (Table 3). No leaf symptoms of either Cl^– or Na⁺ injury were observed. The results indicate an osmotic — rather than a specific ion effect — of salinity on grapefruit yield.Contribution from the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel. 1977 Series No. 197-E     

Effect of irrigation water salinity on transpiration and on leaching requirements: A case study for bell peppers

Maximization of crop yields when the salinity of irrigation water is high depends on providing plant transpiration needs and evaporative losses, as well as on maintaining minimum soil solution salinity through leaching. The effect of the amount of applied irrigation water was studied regarding transpiration, yields, and leaching fractions as a function of irrigation water salinity. Bell pepper (Capsicum annum L. vars. Celica and 7187) in protected growing environments in the Arava Valley of Israel was used as a case study crop to analyze water quantity–salinity interactions in a series of lysimeter, field and model simulation experiments. Leaching fraction was found to be highly influenced by plant feedback, as transpiration depended on root zone salinity. Increased application of saline irrigation water led to increased transpiration and yields. The higher the salinity level, the greater the relative benefit from increased leaching. The extent of leaching needed to maximize yields when irrigating with saline water may make such practice highly unsustainable.     

灌溉水矿化度对土壤盐分及冬小麦产量的影响

为合理高效利用河北低平原区浅层地下咸水资源,采用田间试验的方法,系统研究了不同矿化度(1,2,4,6,8 g/L)灌溉水对土壤盐分分布与冬小麦产量的影响.结果表明,随灌溉水中矿化度的增加,0～20 cm厚度的土层土壤容重增加,同时土壤孔隙率逐渐降低.与淡水处理(1 g/L)相比,矿化度为2 g/L的灌溉水浇灌的麦田0～100 cm土层土壤平均盐分含量未出现明显增加;冬小麦拔节期、孕穗期和抽穗期的叶面积指数、株高以及单位面积穗数、穗粒数、千粒质量和籽粒产量未呈现明显差异.然而,当灌溉水矿化度增加到4 g/L以上时,0～100 cm土层土壤平均盐分含量大幅增加,植株生长受到明显抑制,籽粒产量出现显著下降,减产主要因素为咸水灌溉导致的冬小麦穗数减少.在该灌溉模式下,推荐冬小麦咸水灌溉的适宜矿化度低于2 g/L.     

Response of Salustiana oranges to high frequency deficit irrigation

Summary Mature Salustiana orange trees under drip irrigation were subjected to deficit irrigation during three years. The water applied (including effective rainfall) in the five irrigation treatments was: (A) 60% of the evaporation of a Class A pan over irrigated grass (Control treatment); B) and C 80% and 60% of control, during the whole year, respectively; (D) 60% of control during the flowering and fruit set period; (E) 60% of control during the fruit maturation period. During the rest of the year, treatments D and E received the same amount of water as the control. There were four replicates in a completely randomized block design. Irrigation frequency was the same for all treatments. Crop evapotranspiration (ET) was estimated by the water balance method using a neutron moisture meter. ET for the control treatment was about 840 mm/year and it was reduced in the deficit treatments. Irrigation treatments affected both yield and fruit quality although the effects varied between years according to the season's rainfall. Fruit number was not affected by the irrigation treatments, therefore differences in yield were due to effect on average fruit weight. Compared to the control treatment, treatments B and C decreased yield significantly (p = 0.05) by 5% and 15%, respectively, and increased the total soluble solids and acids content of the fruit juice. Water deficit in the flowering and fruit set period (treatment D) decreased yield by 4%, acids content of the juice and peel thickness. Treatment E produced fruit of lower quality with thicker peel and more acids than the control. Treatments did not affect juice and pulp content, maturity index of fruits nor maturation time. The effects of the irrigation treatments on the water status of the trees, fruit set and abscission and their implications on irrigation scheduling are also discussed.     

Economic evaluation of salinity,drainage and non-uniformity of infiltrated irrigation water

Salinity, drainage and non-uniformity of irrigation water are important components in determining optimal water application and related profitability. A crop-water production function assuming steady state conditions is incorporated in a long-run economic model to investigate the combined effects of salinity, irrigation uniformity and different drainage requirements at the field scale for the specific crop.The analysis was conducted for corn and cotton as sensitive and tolerant crops to salinity, respectively. Optimum applied water and associated profits, yield and drainage volumes were computed for each crop. The computations were done for the condition that no drainage system was required and also where a drainage system was required and the drainage water was disposed of to either a free off-farm facility or to an on-farm evaporation pond constructed on productive or non-productive land.The main findings are that type of drainage disposal system affects the optimal values of applied water, profits, yield and drainage volumes, except for uniform water applications and non-saline irrigation water. Another finding is that in the long run, under saline conditions and/or different drainage disposal systems, a sensitive crop such as corn is not profitable and goes out of production. In general the profit levels associated with the various drainage options are in the order of no drainage requirement ? free off-farm facility > on-farm evaporation pond on non-productive land > on-farm evaporation pond on productive land. Uniformity of irrigation water affects values of the analyzed variables and the effects are greatest for the cases of on-farm evaporation ponds. Pumping cost effects are quite small, but water price effects are more significant. Breeding the crops for increased salinity tolerance has little effect when irrigating with water of low salinity and/or low irrigation uniformity.     

Response of cotton water stress indicators to soil salinity

Summary A field study was conducted on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. c.v. Acala SJ-2) to investigate the effects of soil salinity on the responses of stress indices derived from canopy temperature, leaf diffusion resistance and leaf water potential. The four salinity treatments used in this study were obtained by mixtures of aqueduct and well water to provide mean soil water electrical conductivities of 17, 27, 32 and 38 dS/m in the upper 0.6 m of soil profile. The study was conducted on a sandy loam saline-alkali soil in the lower San Joaquin Valley of California on 30 July 1981, when the soil profile was adequately irrigated to remove any interference of soil matric potential on the stress measurements. Measurements of canopy temperature, leaf water potential and leaf diffusion resistance were made hourly throughout the day.Crop water stress index (CWSI) estimates derived from canopy temperature measurements in the least saline treatment had values similar to those found for cotton grown under minimum salinity profiles. Throughout the course of the day the treatments affected CWSI values with the maximum differences occurring in mid-afternoon. Salinity induced differences were also evident in the leaf diffusion resistance and leaf water potential measurements. Vapor pressure deficit was found to indicate the evaporative demand at which cotton could maintain potential water use for the various soil salinity levels studied. At vapor pressure deficits greater than 5 kPa, cotton would appear stressed at in situ soil water electrical conductivities exceeding 15 dS/m. The CWSI was as sensitive to osmotic stress as other, more traditional plant measures, provided a broader spatial resolution and appeared to be a practical tool for assessing osmotic stress occurring within irrigated cotton fields.     

Application of automated flow and salinity control to dilution of saline irrigation water

Summary The utility of a saline water source for irrigation might, in many cases, be greatly increased if it could be diluted by mixing it with a higher quality source of water prior to field application. This paper discusses a number of options for achieving such a dilution subject to imposed constraints. Firstly, we derive and discuss the principles of achieving control of irrigation salinity level when waters of two different qualities and flow rates are used. Secondly, we formulate and discuss the dynamic performance of a prototype on a controlled dilution junction with and without water storage. Finally, we discuss the general problem of achieving simultaneous salinity and flow rate control, using dual feedback control sensors to compensate for variations both in salinity and in flow rate of the saline supply source in order to produce a desired salt concentration in the irrigation water.     

A model of crop yield response to irrigation water salinity: theory,testing and application

A relationship between crop yield and irrigation water salinity is developed. The relationship can be used as a production function to quantify the economic ramifications of practices which increase irrigation water salinity, such as disposal of surface and sub-surface saline drainage waters into the irrigation water supply system. Guidelines for the acceptable level of irrigation water salinity in a region can then be established. The model can also be used to determine crop suitability for an irrigation region, if irrigation water salinity is high. Where experimental work is required to determine crop yield response to irrigation water salinity, the model can be used as a first estimate of the response function. The most appropriate experimental treatments can then be allocated. The model adequately predicted crop response to water salinity, when compared with experimental data.Abbreviations A Crop threshold rootzone salinity in Equation of Maas and Hoffman (dS/m) - B Fractional yield reduction per unit rootzone salinity increase (dS/m)^–1 - C_i Average salinity of applied water (dS/m) - C_r Average salinity of rainfall (dS/m) - C_s Linearly averaged soil solution salinity in the rootzone (dS/m) - C_se Linearly averaged soil saturation extract salinity in the rootzone (dS/m) - C_w Average salinity of irrigation supply water (dS/m) - C_z Soil solution salinity at the base of the crop rootzone (dS/m) - C Mean root water uptake weighted soil salinity in equation of Bernstein and François (1973) (dS/m) - E_p Depth of class A pan evaporation during the growing season (m) - ET_a Actual crop evapotranspiration during the growing season (m) - ET_m Maximum crop evapotranspiration during the growing season (m) - I The total depth of water applied during the growing season (including irrigation water and rainfall) (m) - K Empirical coefficient in leaching equation of Rhoades (1974) - K_c Crop coefficient for equation of Doorenbos and Pruit (1977) to estimate crop water use - K_y Yield response factor in equation of Doorenbos and Kassam (1974) - LF The leaching fraction - Ro Depth of rainfall runoff during the growing season (m) - R Depth of rainfall during the growing season (m) - W Depth of irrigation water applied during the growing season (m) - Y Relative crop yield - Y_a Actual crop yield (kg) - Y_m Maximum crop yield (kg) - /z Dimensionless depth for equation of Raats (1974), and empirical coefficient for the leaching equation of Hoffman and van Genutchen (1983)     

Effects of irrigation water salinity and electrostatic water treatment for sugarcane production

Excess salinity in irrigation water reduces sugarcane yield and juice quality. This study was conducted to compare the effect of irrigation with water of 1.3 dS m⁻¹ vs. 3.4 dS m⁻¹ on sugarcane yield and quality, and to evaluate whether an electrostatic conditioning treatment of the water influenced the salt effects. The study was conducted in a commercial field divided into large plots ranging from 1.0 to 1.2 ha in size. Cane and sugar yields were reduced approximately 17% by the 3.4 dS m⁻¹ water compared to the 1.3 dS m⁻¹ water, but juice quality parameters were not affected. Conditioning of the irrigation water using a device called an ‘electrostatic precipitator’ which claimed to affect various water properties had no effect on cane yield, juice quality or soil salinity levels. The detrimental effect of the high salt irrigation water was somewhat less than might be expected, probably due to good late summer rainfall which may have flushed the root zone from the excessive salts.     

Hydraulics and salinity profile of pitcher irrigation in saline water condition

The hydraulics of pitcher irrigation in saline water condition was studied in laboratory conditions in terms of flow behaviour of pitcher, soil moisture distribution, wetting front advance and distribution of salt concentration in the soil using different pitcher making materials. The Pitcher Type 1 (PT1) made up of local soil and sand yielded the lowest mean hourly depletion ranging from 0.42 to 0.62% depending on salinity of the water used. It was followed by PT2 made up of local soil, sand and resinous material with a mean hourly depletion of 0.51-0.69% and PT3 with local soil, saw dust and sand with a mean hourly depletion of 0.91-1.02%. In all cases, with the increase in salinity level of the water used (ranging from 5 to 20 dS/m), the depletion rate and moisture content in the soil profile were found to decrease.Similarly, it was found that PT1 yielded the lowest wetting front advance and salt movement followed by PT2 and PT3. It was observed that the wetting front advance in the soil decreased with increasing salinity level of the water. The salt concentration in the soil was minimum near the pitcher and maximum at the soil surface and periphery of the wetted zone. In case of PT1, the maximum salt concentration in the soil profile ranged between 1.09 and 3.88 dS/m using water with a salinity ranging from 5 to 20 dS/m, respectively. Similarly, for PT2 the maximum salt concentration in the soil profile also ranged from 1.09 to 3.88 dS/m and for PT3 from 2.30 to 6.07 dS/m. A paired t-test revealed that the moisture as well as the salt distribution of PT3 differed significantly from PT1 and PT2 at α = 0.05. Even, if the salt concentration remained the same and the moisture content remained within field capacity for PT1 and PT2, PT1 is preferred in comparison to PT2 and PT3 as the pitcher material of PT1 is locally economically available.     

Response of sugarbeets to irrigation frequency and cutoff on a clay loam soil

Summary Sugarbeets (Beta vulgaris L.) on a Panoche clay loam soil were subjected to 3 different irrigation frequencies and 3 irrigation cutoff dates prior to harvest to determine the effects on evapotranspiration, growth, and sucrose yield. Lengthening the irrigation interval from 1 to 3 weeks reduced evapotranspiration without a significant decline in sucrose production. Increased irrigation cutoff from 3 to 7 weeks prior to harvest significantly increased sucrose percentage within the root and resulted in similar total sucrose yields. Lengthening the irrigation interval only slightly reduced both fresh vegetative biomass and leaf area index (significant differences occurred only at one plant sampling date). The combination of less frequent irrigation and an early cutoff date increased the amount of soil water extracted by sugarbeets. The water use of sugarbeets can be reduced without a significant decline in sucrose production through optimizing irrigation frequency to about 14 to 20 days on this soil and cutting off irrigations about 40 to 45 days before harvest, provided irrigations replenish soil water depletions.Contribution from USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Water Management Res. Laboratory, 2021 S. Peach Avenue, Fresno, CA 93747, USA     

Effects of saline water irrigation on soil salinity,Pecan tree growth and nut production

Summary Irrigated cultivation of pecans (Carya illinoensis K.) has increased dramatically in the Southwestern USA, yet their tolerance to salinity remains largely unknown. The first part of this study was conducted to assess if stunted tree growth reported in clayey soils is related to salinity, and the second part was to evaluate changes in soil salinity and the performance of 11 year old Western trees irrigated with water of 1.1 dSm^–1 and 4.3 dSm^–1 for 4 years. The first study, conducted at a commercial orchard (49 ha) in the El Paso valley (TX), showed a highly significant correlation between tree trunk size and salinity of the saturation extract (EC_e) with r=–0.89. Soil salinity above which trunk size decreased in excess of the standard error was 2.0 dSm^–1 in EC_e from 0–30 cm depth, and 3.0 dSm^–1 in 0 to 60 cm depth with corresponding Na concentrations of 14 and 21 mmol l^–1. Excessive accumulation of salts and Na was found only in silty clay and silty clay loam soils. The second study, conducted at a small experimental field (1 ha), indicated that irrigation with waters of 1.1 and 4.3 dSm^–1 increased EC_e of the top 60 cm profile from 1.5 to 2.2 and 4.2 dSm^–1 and Na concentration in the saturation extract to 17 and 33 mmol l^–1, respectively. The leaching fractions were estimated at 13 and 37% when irrigated with waters of 1.1 and 4.3 dSm^–1, respectively. Tree growth progressively slowed in the saline plots irrigated with water of 4.3 dSm^–1, and became minimal during the 4th year. The cumulative shoot length over the 4 year period was reduced by 24% and trunk diameter by 18% in the saline plots relative to nonsaline plots. Irrigation with the saline water also reduced nut yields by 32%, nut size by 15% and leaflet area by 26% on the 4 year average, indicating that pecans are only moderately tolerant to salinity. The concentration of Na, Cl and Zn in the middle leaflet pair did not differ significantly between the two treatments. Soil salinity provided a more reliable measure for assessing salinity hazard than leaf analysis. However, soil salinity was found to be highly spatially variable following a normal distribution within a soil type. This high variability needs to be recognized in soil sampling as well as managing irrigation.Contribution from Texas Agricultural Experimental Station, Texas A & M University System. This program was supported in part by a grant from the Binational Agricultural Research and Development (BARD) fund     

Sprinkling-induced foliar injury to pepper plants: Effects of irrigation frequency,duration and water composition

Summary This study was conducted to determine the conditions and causes of foliar salt absorption and injury from sprinkler irrigation with saline water. Bell pepper plants (Capsicum annuum L. cv. Yolo Wonder B) grown in covered nutrient solution cultures in the greenhouse were sprinkled daily with NaCl and CaCl₂ waters for up to 10 weeks. Unsprinkled plants grown in nonsaline, and in one experiment, saline cultures were compared with plants sprinkled with waters containing different concentrations of NaCl and/or CaCl₂. Both the frequency and duration of sprinkling (up to 32 min each day) were tested.The results showed that Ca²⁺, Na⁺, and Cl^– were readily absorbed through the leaves at rates that were essentially linear functions of salt concentration and duration of sprinkling. Increasing frequency of sprinkling increased salt uptake and injury more than increasing duration. Sprinkling with either NaCl or CaCl₂ waters was more toxic to pepper than mixtures of the two salts. Although CaCl₂ was more toxic than NaCl, low concentrations of Ca²⁺ ameliorated the detrimental effects of NaCl waters. Foliar analyses indicated that leaf injury was not correlated with Cl^– accumulation. It appeared that it was caused directly by excessive cation accumulation or indirectly by the resultant ionic imbalance.Received for publicationSupervisory Plant Physiologist, Chemist, and Research Agronomist     

Effect of saline water irrigation and manure application on the available water content, soil salinity, and growth of wheat

Good water management combined with appropriate soil management is necessary for sustainable crop production in drylands. A pot culture experiment was conducted using sand dune soil under greenhouse conditions to evaluate the response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to the application of farmyard manure (FYM) or poultry manure (PM), and irrigation with water at two salinity levels (0.11 and 2.0 dS m⁻¹) and two irrigation intervals (daily and every second day). The manure was applied at a rate of 20 Mg ha⁻¹. The soil water content, measured 1 h before every irrigation, showed that soil treated with PM retained more water than that treated with FYM, while the control (no manure) contained the least water. FYM treatment resulted in 78 and 21% higher dry matter yield compared to the control and PM treatments, respectively, under daily irrigation using good-quality water. The increase was 29 and 55%, respectively, when saline water was used for daily irrigation. A similar trend was observed with the alternate day irrigation treatment; FYM gave the highest dry matter yield. The number of tillers and plant height showed that FYM was better than PM, which in turn was better than the control under irrigation with good-quality water regardless of the irrigation interval. When water of the highest salinity was used for irrigation, FYM was still always the best, but the control was now better than the PM treatment. The electrical conductivity of the soil measured at the end of the experiment was slightly higher with PM, as compared to the FYM and control treatments. A significant interaction between irrigation water quality and manure application was observed, affecting plant growth. PM aggravated the adverse affect of saline water on plant growth by increasing soil salinity.     

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.     

土壤酶活性对微咸水与再生水混合滴灌的响应与评估

为了探讨淡水资源不足地区微咸水与再生水的合理利用方式,通过盆栽试验,以当地地下水灌溉为对照(CK),研究了3种不同比例微咸水与再生水混合灌溉(再生水灌溉T1,5 g/L微咸水与再生水等量混合灌溉T2,5 g/L微咸水灌溉T3)对土壤水盐、水溶性离子离子以及土壤酶活性的影响,并利用第2代生物综合响应(IBRv2)指数法评估土壤酶活性对微咸水与再生水混合灌溉效应的响应.结果表明,(1)随着微咸水与再生水混合液中微咸水占比提升,土壤含水率和含盐量越高.(2)微咸水-再生水混合灌溉处理对土壤酶活性的影响不同,土壤碱性磷酸酶和脲酶活性较微咸水和再生水灌溉处理均有所提升,土壤蔗糖酶活性较再生水灌溉略低,但却高于微咸水灌溉.(3)基于IBRv2指数法,与CK相比较,处理T1引起的酶活性偏差最低,IBRv2值为2.12;处理T2次之,值为2.42;处理T3最高,值为2.92.处理T3中S-AKP/ALP,S-SC,S-UE活性均受到抑制;处理T2对S-AKP/ALP,S-UE活性具有诱导作用,但对S-SC略有抑制;处理T1对S-AKP/ALP,S-SC活性具有诱导作用,但对S-UE活性具有一定的抑制.因此,基于IBRv2,并综合考虑土壤酶活性指标以及再生水资源量量大、日排放量小等自身局限性,在干旱缺水地区,可以考虑用再生水与微咸水配合使用.     

Assessing basin irrigation and scheduling strategies for saving irrigation water and controlling salinity in the upper Yellow River Basin, China

Water saving in irrigation is a key concern in the Yellow River basin. Excessive water diversions for irrigation waste water and produce waterlogging problems during the crop season and soil salinization in low lands. Supply control and inadequate functionality of the drainage system were identified as main factors for poor water management at farm level. Their improvement condition the adoption of water saving and salinity control practices. Focusing on the farm scale, studies to assess the potential for water savings included: (a) field evaluation of current basin irrigation practices and further use of the simulation models SRFR and SIRMOD to generate alternative improvements for the surface irrigation systems and (b) the use of the ISAREG model to simulate the present and improved irrigation scheduling alternatives taking into consideration salinity control. Models were used interactively to define alternatives for the irrigation systems and scheduling that would minimize percolation and produce water savings. Foreseen improvements refer to basin inflow discharges, land leveling and irrigation scheduling that could result in water savings of 33% relative to actual demand. These improvements would also reduce percolation and maintain water table depths below 1 m thereby reducing soil salinization.