Effects of subsurface pipe drainage on soil salinity in saline‐sodic soil under mulched drip irrigation

Mulched drip irrigation has been widely used in agricultural planting in arid and semi-arid regions. The dynamics and distribution of soil salinity under mulched drip irrigation greatly affect crop growth and yield. However, there are still different views on the distribution and dynamics of soil salinity under long-term mulched drip irrigation due to complex factors (climate, groundwater, irrigation, and soil). Therefore, the soil salinity of newly reclaimed salt wasteland was monitored for 9 years (2008–2016), and the effects of soil water on soil salinity distribution under mulched drip irrigation have also been explored. The results indicated that the soil salinity decreased sharply in 3–4 years of implementation of mulched drip irrigation, and then began to fluctuate to different degrees and showed slight re-accumulation. During the growth period, soil salinity was relatively high at pre-sowing, and after a period of decline soil salinity tends to increase in the late harvest period. The vertical distribution of soil texture had a significant effect on the distribution of soil salinity. Salt accumulated near the soil layer transiting from coarse soil to fine soil. After a single irrigation, the soil water content in the 30–70 cm layer under the cotton plant undergoes a ‘high–low–high’ change pattern, and the soil salt firstly moved to the deep layer (below 70 cm), and then showed upward migration tendency with the weakening of irrigation water infiltration. The results may contribute to the scientific extension of mulched drip irrigation and the farmland management under long-term mulched drip irrigation.

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Variations of Soil Salinity and Cotton Growth under Six-Years Mulched Drip Irrigation

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11061127 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (6) ◽

pp. 1127

Author(s):

Wenhao Li ◽

Zhenhua Wang ◽

Jinzhu Zhang ◽

Ningning Liu

Keyword(s):

Soil Salinity ◽

Drip Irrigation ◽

Saline Soil ◽

Irrigation Schedule ◽

Salt Content ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Cotton Field ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Quota Management ◽

Mulched Drip Irrigation

The lowering of salt content in the field, especially in arid areas, after consecutive application of mulched drip irrigation (MDI) is of vital importance for sustainable cotton plantation. To elucidate the effects of long-term MDI on soil properties and cotton growth, this paper systematically monitored the soil salinity, ion concentrations and the yield of cotton in the field using MDI consecutively for six years in a typical oasis in Xinjiang, China. The results showed that MDI could significantly change salt distribution in the cotton field. During the six years tested, the soil salt content using MDI declined fast at first, and then the decline rate gradually decreased. In the 1st and 2nd year, the average salt content within 0–100 cm soil layer was larger than 20 g kg−1, which belonging to the saline soil. Then the salt content decreased to 10–20 g kg−1 in the 3rd and 4th year, and the cotton field declined to heavily saline soil. After 5 years of MDI, the soil turned to non-salinized. The Cl− and SO42− equivalence ratio (CSER) also decreased with the increase of application years of MDI. Saline-alkaline land developed from chloride-sulphate solonchak (0.2 < CSER < 1) into sulphate solonchak (CSER < 0.2) after 6 years of MDI. The survival rate of the cotton increased from 1.48% (1 year of MDI) to 76.3% (6 years of MDI), and the yield increased from 72.43 kg ha−1 to 4515.48 kg ha−1. When the average CSER, SAR and the soil salinity in 0–140 cm soil layer decreased to 0.60, 0.98 (mol kg−1)0.5 and 6.25 g kg−1, farmers can achieve a balance between income and expenditure. Moreover, when CSER, SAR, and the soil salinity continuously decreased to 0.44, 0.69 (mol kg−1)0.5 and 0.77 g kg−1, the cotton yield will exceed the average production level of cotton in Xinjiang. Under the current irrigation schedule in the oasis irrigation area, the soil salinity and groundwater level after applying MDI could be conducive to cotton growth. However, this situation had also caused a waste of nearly 200 mm of water resources. Therefore, authors suggested that further research on water-saving irrigation systems suitable for different soil conditions should be carried out, and also the differential quota management in production practice should be adopted.

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Spatial distribution of soil moisture, soil salinity, and root density beneath a cotton field under mulched drip irrigation with brackish and fresh water

Field Crops Research ◽

10.1016/j.fcr.2017.10.019 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 215 ◽

pp. 207-221 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Wenling Chen ◽

Menggui Jin ◽

Ty P.A. Ferré ◽

Yanfeng Liu ◽

Yang Xian ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Soil Moisture ◽

Fresh Water ◽

Soil Salinity ◽

Drip Irrigation ◽

Root Density ◽

Cotton Field ◽

Mulched Drip Irrigation

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Effects of water quality, irrigation amount and nitrogen applied on soil salinity and cotton production under mulched drip irrigation in arid Northwest China

Agricultural Water Management ◽

10.1016/j.agwat.2021.106738 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 247 ◽

pp. 106738

Author(s):

Zheng Che ◽

Jun Wang ◽

Jiusheng Li

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Soil Salinity ◽

Drip Irrigation ◽

Northwest China ◽

Cotton Production ◽

Irrigation Amount ◽

Arid Northwest China ◽

Mulched Drip Irrigation

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Calcium-Enriched Animal Manure Alleviates the Adverse Effects of Salt Stress on Growth, Physiology and Nutrients Homeostasis of Zea mays L.

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants8110480 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 8 (11) ◽

pp. 480 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Bushra Niamat ◽

Muhammad Naveed ◽

Zulfiqar Ahmad ◽

Muhammad Yaseen ◽

Allah Ditta ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nutrient Uptake ◽

Soil Salinity ◽

Crop Production ◽

Growth Yield ◽

Growth And Yield ◽

Control Treatment ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Alkaline Soil ◽

Sodic Soil ◽

Growth Physiology

Soil salinity and sodicity are among the main problems for optimum crop production in areas where rainfall is not enough for leaching of salts out of the rooting zone. Application of organic and Ca-based amendments have the potential to increase crop yield and productivity under saline–alkaline soil environments. Based on this hypothesis, the present study was conducted to evaluate the potential of compost, Ca-based fertilizer industry waste (Ca-FW), and Ca-fortified compost (Ca-FC) to increase growth and yield of maize under saline–sodic soil conditions. Saline–sodic soil conditions with electrical conductivity (EC) levels (1.6, 5, and 10 dS m−1) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) = 15, were developed by spiking soil with a solution containing NaCl, Na2SO4, MgSO4, and CaCl2. Results showed that soil salinity and sodicity significantly reduced plant growth, yield, physiological, and nutrient uptake parameters. However, the application of Ca-FC caused a remarkable increase in the studied parameters of maize at EC levels of 1.6, 5, and 10 dS m−1 as compared to the control. In addition, Ca-FC caused the maximum decrease in Na+/K+ ratio in shoot up to 85.1%, 71.79%, and 70.37% at EC levels of 1.6, 5, and 10 dS m−1, respectively as compared to the control treatment. Moreover, nutrient uptake (NPK) was also significantly increased with the application of Ca-FC under normal as well as saline–sodic soil conditions. It is thus inferred that the application of Ca-FC could be an effective amendment to enhance growth, yield, physiology, and nutrient uptake in maize under saline–sodic soil conditions constituting the novelty of this work.

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