Effect of Saline Water Management on Yield and Yield Components of Corn and Soil Salinity Profile

• Published in: ʻUlūm va muhandisī-i ābyārī Vol. 35; no. 3; pp. 11 - 18
• Main Authors: H. Molavi, M. Mohammadi, A. Liaghat
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Persian
• Published: Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz 01.11.2012
• Subjects: corn; distribution of salinity; saline water management; yield
• ISSN: 2588-5952

Increasing demand of water resources in the world, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, has forced farmers to use low quality water, such as drainage water and saline groundwater. In order to evaluate the effects of saline water management on corn yield and salt distribution in soil profile, five management methods were conducted in a lysimetry study in Karaj. Therefore, the experiment was performed as a randomized complete block design with three replications by Furrow irrigation including five treatments: irrigation with non-saline water (M1=0.7 dS/m), irrigation with saline water (M2=5 dS/m), irrigation with mixed water (M3=2.85 dS/m), alternative irrigation with non-saline and saline water (M4) and alternative furrow irrigation simultaneously with saline and non-saline water (M5). In the latter one a furrow was irrigated with saline water and side furrow with non-saline water constantly. The results showed that highest yield and measured characteristics were corresponded to irrigation method with non-saline water (6988.12 kg/ha) and the least one with saline water (4090.76 kg/ ha). Yield decreased 20.59, 16.34 and 8.77 percent in M3, M4 and M5 treatments respectively as compared to the control treatment (M1). The average soil salinity in top 30 cm layer was 3.66, 2.66, 2.36 and 2.15 dS/m in M2, M3, M4 and M5 treatments, respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that the best management practices among proposed treatments is alternative Furrow irrigation simultaneously with saline and non-saline water.