Effective use of water in irrigated soils: Guidelines for soil salinity control

Abstract

Continued addition of irrigation water to the soil will add salts which may accumulate sufficiently to reduce plant growth and crop yields. Eventually, the accumulated salts may stop all growth, unless irrigation practices which move salts downward below the root zone are followed. Consequently, water is needed not only for growing plants but also for leaching salts out of the soil. The success of achieving these objectives primarily depends on the proper water management practices, which, in turn, depend on methods and timing of irrigation, quality and quantity of available water for irrigation, soil hydraulic properties, drainage systems, leaching requirement, and economics.