Effects of saline water irrigation on soil salinity and yield of winter wheat–maize in North China Plain

Drought and fresh water shortage are in the way of sustainable agriculture development in the North China Plain. The scarcity of fresh water forces farmers to use shallow saline ground water, which helps to overcome drought and increase crop yields but also increases the risk of soil salinization. This paper describes salt regimes and crop responses to saline irrigation water based on field experiments conducted from October 1997 to September 2005. It was found that use of saline water causes the ECe of the topsoil (0–100 cm, Cv: 0.196∼0.330) to be higher and more variable than the subsoil (100–180 cm, Cv: 0.133∼0.219). The salt load rapidly increased, notably in the upper 80 cm and especially during the season of October 1999 to June 2000. It was concluded that the maximum soil depth to which the soil was leached during the wet season was about 150 cm. The relative yields of winter wheat could be ranked Fresh Sufficient (FS, 100%) > Fresh Limited (FL, 91.80%) > Saline Sufficient (SS, 91.63%) > Saline Limited (SL, 88.28%) > Control (C, 69.58%) and for maize FS (100%) > FL (96.37%) > SS (93.05%) > SL (90.04%)> C (89.81%). The best irrigation regime was Saline Limited for winter wheat and maize, provided rainfall is sufficient. The experiments confirm that saline irrigation water appears to be economically attractive to farmers in the short term and ecological hazards can still be controlled with proper leaching.     

微咸水灌溉下土壤水盐动态及对作物产量的影响

华北平原农业灌溉用水非常紧缺,水资源日益缺乏与粮食需求日益增多之间的矛盾尖锐。充分利用微咸水资源是缓解这一矛盾的重要途径之一。该文以中国农业大学曲周试验站1997－2005年冬小麦和夏玉米微咸水灌溉田间长期定位试验为基础,研究了充分淡水、充分淡咸水、关键期淡水、关键期淡咸水和不灌溉等5个处理下土壤饱和电导率和含盐量的动态变化,探讨了微咸水灌溉对冬小麦和夏玉米产量的影响。结果表明：土壤水盐动态呈受灌溉和降雨影响的短期波动和受季节更替影响的长期波动;在正常降雨年份,使用微咸水进行灌溉是可行的,不会导致土壤的次生盐渍化;微咸水灌溉虽然导致冬小麦和夏玉米产量降低10%～15%,但节约淡水资源60%～75%。如果降雨量达到多年平均水平以及微咸水灌溉制度制订合理,微咸水用于冬小麦/玉米田间灌溉前景广阔。     

Soil salinity and sodicity effects of wastewater irrigation in South East Australia

Although ‘sewage farming’ or wastewater irrigation started in Australia in the latter parts of the 19th century, it was in the late 1960s that a considerable interest was revived in arid and semi-arid parts of the world due to scarcity of alternative water sources and the urgency to increase local food production. The practice has manifold benefits in the form of water conservation, nutrient recycling, surface and ground water pollution prevention. But for arid and semi-arid regions like many parts of Australia, while wastewater irrigation can be an attractive solution to irrigation water problems, it might not be the ideal solution for the common soil types encountered in these regions. Due to characteristic low rainfall, high evaporation and low leaching, these soils tend to have higher salt accumulations. This paper examines the soil salinity and sodicity effects of wastewater irrigation in soil types typical to South Eastern Australia and takes the soils of Western Treatment Plant (WTP) as a case study to highlight these issues.     

Supplemental irrigation of wheat with saline water

In arid and semi-arid regions, both rainfall and surface irrigation water supplies are unreliable and inadequate to meet crop water requirement. Groundwater in these regions is mainly marginally saline (2-6 dS/m) to saline (>6 dS/m) and could be exploited to meet crop water requirement if no adverse effects on crops and land resource occur. The fear of adverse effects has often restricted the exploitation of naturally occurring saline water. The results reveal that substituting a part or all except pre-sowing irrigation with saline water having an electrical conductivity (EC_iw) of 8 dS/m is possible for cultivation of wheat. Similarly, saline water with EC_iw ranging between 8 and 12 dS/m could be used to supplement at least two irrigations to obtain 90% or more of the optimum yield. In low rainfall years, the use of such waters for all irrigations, except pre-sowing, produced more yield than skipping irrigations. Apparently, even at this level of osmotic salt stress, matric stress is more harmful. Thus, it would be interesting to use such waters for wheat production in monsoon climatic regions.     

Evaluating salinity distribution in soil irrigated with saline water in arid regions of northwest China

In arid and semi-arid regions, salinity is a serious and chronic problem for agriculture. A 3-year field experiment in the arid environment of Xinjiang, northwest China, was conducted to study the salinity change in soil resulting from deficit irrigation of cotton with non-saline, moderate saline and high saline water. The salinity profile distribution was also evaluated by an integrated water, salinity, and nitrogen model, ENVIRO-GRO. The simulated and observed salinity distributions matched well. Results indicated that after 3 years of cotton production, the average salinity in the 1.0-m soil profile was 336% and 547% of the original soil profile, respectively, for moderate saline and high saline water irrigation. If the practices continued, the average soil salinity (EC_e) in the 1.0-m soil profile would approach a steady level of 1.7, 10.8, and 14.7 dS m⁻¹, respectively, for the treatments receiving irrigation waters of 0.33, 3.62, and 6.71 dS m⁻¹. It was concluded that deficit irrigation of saline water in this region was not sustainable. Model simulation showed that a big flood irrigation after harvest can significantly reduce the salt accumulation in the soil profile, and that this practice was much more efficient for salinity control than applying the same extra amount of water during the growing season.     

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     

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.     

不同灌溉制度对根层土壤盐分影响的模拟

以河套灌区沙壕渠灌域为例,采用SaltMod模型探讨了不同灌溉制度对作物根层土壤盐分的影响.利用2008-2010年基础资料对模型进行率定和验证并对研究区的根层土壤盐分进行模拟和预测.结果表明:在现有灌排条件下,沙壕渠灌域的盐渍化程度基本达到较为稳定的水平,且有轻微脱盐趋势,未来10 a后作物根层土壤盐分降低3%.生育期土壤水盐垂直交换运动强烈,对于控制土壤盐分而言,灌水量越小越好;作物根层土壤盐分随冬灌灌溉定额的增大而减小,不同冬灌灌溉定额对应的根层土壤盐分最初的增加量均较大,但增加的趋势随时间逐渐降低.根据当地作物种植结构,综合考虑节水灌溉、作物产量和根层土壤水盐环境,建议研究区较优的作物生育期综合净灌溉定额为2 700~3 500 m³/hm²,冬灌净灌溉定额为2 700 m³/hm².     

Soil salinity related to physical soil characteristics and irrigation management in four Mediterranean irrigation districts

Irrigated agriculture is threatened by soil salinity in numerous arid and semiarid areas of the Mediterranean basin. The objective of this work was to quantify soil salinity through electromagnetic induction (EMI) techniques and relate it to the physical characteristics and irrigation management of four Mediterranean irrigation districts located in Morocco, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey. The volume and salinity of the main water inputs (irrigation and precipitation) and outputs (crop evapotranspiration and drainage) were measured or estimated in each district. Soil salinity (EC_e) maps were obtained through electromagnetic induction surveys (EC_a readings) and district-specific EC_a-EC_e calibrations. Gravimetric soil water content (WC) and soil saturation percentage (SP) were also measured in the soil calibration samples. The EC_a-EC_e calibration equations were highly significant (P < 0.001) in all districts. EC_a was not significantly correlated (P > 0.1) with WC, and was only significantly correlated (P < 0.1) with soil texture (estimated by SP) in Spain. Hence, EC_a mainly depended upon EC_e, so that the maps developed could be used effectively to assess soil salinity and its spatial variability. The surface-weighted average EC_e values were low to moderate, and ranked the districts in the order: Tunisia (3.4 dS m⁻¹) > Morocco (2.2 dS m⁻¹) > Spain (1.4 dS m⁻¹) > Turkey (0.45 dS m⁻¹). Soil salinity was mainly affected by irrigation water salinity and irrigation efficiency. Drainage water salinity at the exit of each district was mostly affected by soil salinity and irrigation efficiency, with values very high in Tunisia (9.0 dS m⁻¹), high in Spain (4.6 dS m⁻¹), moderate in Morocco (estimated at 2.6 dS m⁻¹), and low in Turkey (1.4 dS m⁻¹). Salt loads in drainage waters, calculated from their salinity (EC_dw) and volume (Q), were highest in Tunisia (very high Q and very high EC_dw), intermediate in Turkey (extremely high Q and low EC_dw) and lowest in Spain (very low Q and high EC_dw) (there were no Q data for Morocco). Reduction of these high drainage volumes through sound irrigation management would be the most efficient way to control the off-site salt-pollution caused by these Mediterranean irrigation districts.     

Effects of irrigation strategies and soils on field grown potatoes: Yield and water productivity

Yield and water productivity of potatoes grown in 4.32 m² lysimeters were measured in coarse sand, loamy sand, and sandy loam and imposed to full (FI), deficit (DI), and partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation strategies. PRD and DI as water-saving irrigation treatments received 65% of FI after tuber bulking and lasted for 6 weeks until final harvest. Analysis across the soil textures showed that fresh yields were not significant between the irrigation treatments. However, the same analysis across the irrigation treatments revealed that the effect of soil texture was significant on the fresh yield and loamy sand produced significantly higher fresh yield than the other two soils, probably because of higher leaf area index, higher photosynthesis rates, and “stay-green” effect late in the growing season. More analysis showed that there was a significant interaction between the irrigation treatments and soil textures that the highest fresh yield was obtained under FI in loamy sand. Furthermore, analysis across the soil textures showed that water productivities, WP (kg ha⁻¹ fresh tuber yield mm⁻¹ ET) were not significantly different between the irrigation treatments. However, across the irrigation treatments, the soil textures were significantly different. This showed that the interaction between irrigation treatments and soil textures was significant that the highest significant WP was obtained under DI in sandy loam. While PRD and DI treatments increased WP by, respectively, 11 and 5% in coarse sand and 28 and 36% in sandy loam relative to FI, they decreased WP in loamy sand by 15 and 13%. The reduced WP in loamy sand was due to nearly 28% fresh tuber yield loss in PRD and DI relative to FI even though ET was reduced by 9 and 11% in these irrigation treatments. This study showed that different soils will affect water-saving irrigation strategies that are worth knowing for suitable agricultural water management. So, under non-limited water resources conditions, loamy sand produces the highest yield under full irrigation but water-saving irrigations (PRD and DI) are not recommended due to considerable loss (28%) in yield. However, under restricted water resources, it is recommended to apply water-saving irrigations in sandy loam and coarse sand to achieve the highest water productivity.     

Sodicity and salinity in a Brazilian Oxisol cultivated with sugarcane irrigated with wastewater

Changes in soil sodicity-salinity parameters are one of the most characteristic alterations after treated sewage effluent (TSE) irrigation in agro-systems. Considering the importance of these parameters for agricultural management, as well as the economical value of sugarcane for Brazil, the present study aimed at evaluating effects on soil sodicity and salinity under tropical conditions over 16 months of TSE irrigation in a sugarcane plantation at Lins, São Paulo State, Brazil. Soil samplings were carried out in February 2005 (before planting), December 2005 (after 8 months of TSE irrigation) and September 2006 (after 16 months of TSE irrigation) following a complete block design with four treatments and four replicates. Treatments consisted of: (i) control, without TSE irrigation; (ii) T100, T150 and T200, with TSE irrigation supplying 100% (0% surplus, total of 2524 mm), 150% (50% surplus, total of 3832 mm) and 200% (100% surplus, total of 5092 mm) of crop water demand, respectively. Compared to initial soil conditions, at the end of the experiment increases of exchangeable sodium (from 2.4 to 5.9 mmol_c kg⁻¹), exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) (from 8 to 18%), soluble Na (from 1.4 to 4.7 mmol L⁻¹) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of soil solution (from 3.6 to 12.6 (mmol L⁻¹)^0.5) were found in the soil profile (0-100 cm) as an average for the irrigated plots due to high SAR of TSE. Associated with the increments were mostly significant increases in clay dispersion rates at depths 0-10, 10-20 and 20-40 cm. Electrical conductivity (EC) of soil solution increased during the TSE irrigation period whereas at the end of the experiment, after short term discontinuation of irrigation and harvest, EC in the topsoil (0-10 and 10-20 cm) decreased compared to the previous samplings. Moreover, despite increasing sodicity over time mainly insignificant differences within the different irrigated treatments were found in December 2005 and September 2006. This suggests that independent of varying irrigation amounts the increasing soil sodicity over time were rather caused by the continuous use of TSE than by its quantity applied. Moreover, also plant productivity showed no significant differences within the TSE irrigated plots. The study indicates that monitoring as well as remediation of soil after TSE irrigation is required for a sustainable TSE use in order to maintain agricultural quality parameters.     

Modelling of root ABA synthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration and potato production under water saving irrigation regimes

Application of water saving irrigation strategies in agriculture has become increasingly important. Both modelling and experimental work are needed to gain more insights into the biological and physical mechanisms in the soil-plant system, which regulates water flow in the system and plays a central role in reducing crop transpiration. This paper presented a mechanistic model (Daisy) developed based on data obtained in the SAFIR project on measured leaf gas exchange and soil water dynamics in irrigated potato crops grown in a semi-field environment subjected to different irrigation regimes. Experimental data was compared to simulated results from the new enhanced Daisy model which include modelling 2D soil water flow, abscisic acid (ABA) signalling and its effect on stomatal conductance and hence on transpiration and assimilation, and finally crop yield. The results demonstrated that the enhanced Daisy model is capable of simulating the mechanisms underlying the water saving effects of the partial root-zone drying (PRD) irrigation as compared with the conventional full irrigation (FI). However the simulated effect on both crop yield and water use in this particular experiment was negligible indicating more experimental studies are necessary in order to improve on the model.     

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.     

咸水灌溉对覆膜棉花生长与水分利用的影响

为了揭示棉花生长发育对咸水灌溉的响应特征,采用小区对比试验,研究了不同矿化度咸水灌溉对棉花出苗、株高、叶面积、果枝数、地上部干质量等形态指标以及产量构成、耗水量和水分利用率的影响.结果表明,棉花出苗率和成苗率随着灌溉水矿化度的增大而减小,但3 g/L灌水处理与对照间的差异不具有统计学意义,而5,7 g/L处理与对照间差异极具统计学意义.在移栽补全苗情况下,咸水灌溉对棉花形态生长指标产生了一定的抑制效应,灌溉水矿化度愈大,抑制作用愈大;对株高、叶面积和地上部干质量的影响在蕾期最明显,花铃期之后开始逐渐减弱;对果枝数和棉铃生长的影响程度随着棉花生育进程的推进而降低.处理间棉花的耗水量差异不具有统计学意义,籽棉产量和水分利用率的大小顺序,按灌水处理依次为3,1,5,7 g/L,其中7 g/L处理与对照间的差异具有统计学意义.与灌水前初始值相比,试验结束后1,3 g/L灌水处理的0~40 cm土层盐分未增加,5,7 g/L灌水处理则形成了积盐.研究结果可为咸水安全利用提供重要参考.     

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.     

水肥对土壤盐分影响及增产效应

为了内蒙古河套灌区盐渍化土壤的肥料高效利用,采用田间试验的方法,将不同种类肥料和灌溉定额进行组合,研究其对土壤盐分的动态影响及增产效应.结果表明:小麦收获后,除尿素处理外,有机肥、控释肥和缓释肥处理在常规及节水灌溉条件下耕层和剖面土壤电导率(EC)均值较试验初都有不同程度的降低.有机肥处理在常规灌水条件下(灌水定额为1 005 m³/hm²),控盐效果略显优势;缓释、控释肥在节水灌溉条件下(灌水定额为750 m³/hm²),控盐效果更明显,剖面土壤EC均值较试验前分别下降16.4%,14.3%;尿素处理在常规灌水条件下,耕层及剖面土壤EC均值较播前分别增加3.6%,2.7%,积盐程度略高于节水处理.4种肥料处理的小麦产量较对照处理增产效果显著;缓释肥处理在常规及节水灌溉条件下均表现出显著的增产优势.综合考虑节水、增产、土壤脱盐等效应,获得优化灌水施肥模式为:缓释肥配二铵基施,生育期内不进行追肥,缓释肥为800.4 kg/hm²,二铵为350.6 kg/hm²,灌水定额为750 m³/hm²,产量为8 374.5 kg/hm², 较当地农民习惯灌水施肥处理可增产2.14%、节水25%,作物耕层EC值和剖面土壤EC均值较播前分别下降18.6%,16.4%.     

Towards using a thermal infrared index combined with water balance modelling to monitor sugarcane irrigation in a tropical environment

In humid regions, the timing and quantity of a complementary irrigation regime is challenging because of the irregularity of rainfalls events. In this study, we tested the use of a thermal infrared derived empirical crop water stress index (CWSI_e) as an in situ measurement of the water status of sugarcane, to better monitor the irrigation scheduling. To do this, we set up a 2-year experiment in Reunion Island, on a trial with plots under different water conditions (rainfed and irrigated). Crop surface temperature was measured daily with infrared radiometers (Apogee Instruments) installed above the canopy, and soil moisture and drainage measurements were used to derive the ratio between actual and maximum evapotranspiration (AET/MET) values that were then averaged on “hydrically homogeneous” time periods (between 7 and 25 days). Only the thermal data acquired on clear days and 1 h after noon in 2007 were used to define the empirical lower and upper baselines required for the calculation of empirical CWSI. The data set acquired in 2008 was used to test the robustness of the method as we used the upper and lower baselines defined in 2007 to calculate CWSI_e. The linear regression between AET/MET and (1 − CWSI_e) averaged on the same periods (values ranging between 0.4 and 1) showed a significant correlation for both experimental years (global R² = 0.75 and RMSE = 0.12). This result indicates the effectiveness of the CWSI_e to measure the water status of the sugarcane crop, even in humid conditions with a vapor pressure deficit (VPD) between 0.5 and 2.1. We conclude the study by discussing the complementarity of this remote water stress index (CWSI_e) with OSIRI water balance modelling tool currently used in Reunion Island for monitoring sugarcane crop irrigation.     

不同喷灌水氮组合对马铃薯耗水、产量和品质的影响

为了探讨黑龙江省克山县圆形喷灌机条件下不同水氮组合对马铃薯的耗水规律、产量和品质的影响,同时确定节水、节肥、高产目标下适宜的水氮组合方式,试验设置了2个灌水水平:灌水总量W1(80 mm)和W2(100 mm);4个追氮量水平:F1(45 kg/hm²),F2(56.6 kg/hm²),F3(70 kg/hm²)和F4(86.6 kg/hm²);2个施氮频次:C1为块茎膨大期1次施入,C2为块茎膨大期分2次施入,并选择雨养区作为对照.结果表明:马铃薯全生育期耗水量为313~332 mm,块茎膨大期耗水量最大,占全生育期耗水总量63.4%~66.0%,幼苗期和块茎形成期是需水关键期,应结合马铃薯生长状况和当地雨水情况,适当进行补充灌溉;相比于其余处理,W2F4C2处理产量最高,达到46 525 kg/hm²;不同水氮组合间马铃薯的淀粉、维生素C、粗蛋白含量及商品薯率无显著差异,粗蛋白含量随着施氮量的增加呈现先降低后升高的趋势.综合比较,建议在黑龙江半湿润地区,可采用高水(100 mm)高肥(86.6 kg/hm²)高频次(块茎膨大期分2次施入)的方案.     

Subsurface drip irrigation and reclaimed water quality effects on phosphorus and salinity distribution and forage production

In the Canary Islands, water scarcity is one of the constraints for agricultural activity. Non-conventional water resources generally represent more water volume than conventional ones. The distribution of these resources frequently permits the possibility of a conjunctive use of desalinated (DW) water and reclaimed municipal wastewater (RW). Field testing with both water qualities and different irrigation systems is necessary for optimal site-specific management. The objective of this work was to evaluate soil salinity and phosphorus distribution, and alfalfa yield in a 20 month field experiment carried out in the island of Gran Canaria, using municipal RW and freshwater (FW) under subsurface drip irrigation (SDI). Phosphorus speciation was performed both in irrigation waters and in soils (Olsen's inorganic, organic, and microbial). RW had large EC values (2.4 dS m⁻¹) with a remarkable nutrient load contribution and an average total P around 3 mg L⁻¹, predominantly hydrolysable forms, while FW had very low salinity and negligible amounts of P. For the RW treatment a salt gradient was established, causing plant mortality between the irrigation lines. The study of P speciation allows describing P distribution and plant uptake in terms of P forms. Large values of microbial P were produced for the two irrigation waters around the emitters, especially for FW.A faster P-cycling could have contributed to the significantly larger inorganic P contents observed in FW irrigated soils, in spite no external sources were added by the irrigation water.     

Effects of salinity and fertigation practice on cotton yield and N recovery

The purpose of optimal water and nutrient management is to maximize water and fertilizer use efficiency and crop production, and to minimize groundwater pollution. In this study, field experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of soil salinity and N fertigation strategy on plant growth, N uptake, as well as plant and soil ¹⁵N recovery. The experimental design was a 3 × 3 factorial with three soil salinity levels (2.5, 6.3, and 10.8 dS m⁻¹) and three N fertigation strategies (N applied at the beginning, end, and in the middle of an irrigation cycle). Seed cotton yield, dry matter, N uptake, and plant ¹⁵N recovery significantly increased as soil salinity level increased from 2.5 to 6.3 dS m⁻¹, but they decreased markedly at higher soil salinity of 10.8 dS m⁻¹. Soil ¹⁵N recovery was higher under soil salinity of 10.8 dS m⁻¹ than those under soil salinity of 6.3 dS m⁻¹, but was not significantly different from that under soil salinity of 2.5 dS m⁻¹. The fertigation strategy that nitrogen applied at the beginning of an irrigation cycle had the highest seed cotton yield and plant ¹⁵N recovery, but showed higher potential loss of fertilizer N from the root zone. While the fertigation strategy of applying N at the end of an irrigation cycle tended to avoid potential N loss from the root zone, it had the lowest cotton yield and nitrogen use efficiency. Total ¹⁵N recovery was not significantly affected by soil salinity, fertigation strategy, and their interaction. These results suggest that applying nitrogen at the beginning of an irrigation cycle has an advantage on promoting yield and fertilizer use efficiency, therefore, is an agronomically efficient way to provide cotton with fertilizer N under the given production conditions.