Abstract
Infiltration measurements using a double-ring infiltrometer were conducted on a sandy-loam soil located in Saudi Arabia. The measurements were performed for an undisturbed soil. The effect of sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and electric conductivity (EC) of the applied water on infiltration rate was examined. The infiltration rate at the initial time was high, in the order 305 > 240 > 137 > 104 > 65 mm/h for SAR of 3.34, 3.52, 4.14, 4.18, and 7.60, respectively. The results showed that 180 min after the initial time of measurement in the sandy-loam soil, the final infiltration rates were in the range of 21.1–44.0 mm/h for the different qualities of water considered in this study, with an average value of 33.8 mm/h. Hence, the infiltration rate is sensitive to the SAR of the applied water. The final infiltration rate (IRf) and the final cumulative infiltration depth (Zf) after 180 min could be predicted using the following equations:IRf (mm/h) = 49.399 + 6.691 × EC (dS/m) – 6.740 × SAR (—) R2 = 0.939Zf (mm) = 148.198 + 20.074 × EC (dS/m) – 20.221 × SAR (—) R2 = 0.9387
Highlights
Infiltration rate is defined as the rate at which soil is able to absorb rainfall or irrigation water (Ahaneku, 2011)
The results showed that the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) affected the infiltration rate in the soil
Sodium is the most predominant soluble cation with a value of 35.1 milli-equivalents per litre (meq/L), followed by calcium, whereas chloride is the predominant anion followed by sulphate
Summary
Infiltration rate is defined as the rate at which soil is able to absorb rainfall or irrigation water (Ahaneku, 2011). It is a fundamental variable in irrigation processes, as its influence on the movement of water over the soil is considerable (Aljoumani, 2012). The two most common waterquality factors influencing infiltration rate are the salinity of the water and its sodium content relative to calcium and magnesium content. The concentration of sodium relative to calcium and magnesium is the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) It is a measure of the suitability of water for use in agricultural irrigation. The silty-clay soil was more affected by the water quality than the silt-loam soil, Received 2 May 2017, accepted in revised form 12 January 2018
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