Abstract
Because of water scarcity problems in arid regions, it has become of primary importance to search for alternative sources of water for agricultural irrigation. Brackish water can be used for irrigation of various crops. In spite of the fact that saline water used for agriculture is associated with some reduction in yield, it can successfully be applied to irrigation, coupled with improved irrigation technology such as subsurface drip irrigation. The aim of this research was to confirm the hypothesis that saline water can be used successfully for subsurface drip irrigation. The study is based on evaluation of some parameters of the water-soil and plant system. The analysis considered soil moisture and the salinity status in the soil in conventional surface and in subsurface drip irrigation systems, using different qualities of water. Field experiments are in progress in a pear orchard to verify how subsurface drip irrigation with emitters located at variable depths affects the soil moisture and salinity distribution in the soil domain and the crop yield. The pear yield obtained with saline water under subsurface drip irrigation with emitters at a depth of 30 cm was better than under surface drip irrigation with tap water.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 19-24 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Volume | 16 |
| No | 4 |
| Specialist publication | International Water and Irrigation |
| State | Published - 1 Dec 1996 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Aquatic Science
- Water Science and Technology
- Geotechnical Engineering and Engineering Geology
