Effects of electromagnetic irrigation water treatment on soil properties and arbequina olive trees in Tunisia (Sminja, Zaghouan)

Abstract

ABSTRACT The scarcity of water is a major problem in Tunisia. Thus, 50% of water resources are with salinity higher than 1.5 g L−1 and 16% with salinity exceeding 3 g L−1. To use this saline water in crop irrigation, new technologies for water treatment can be applied such us electromagnetic irrigation water device. In this context, a field experiment was carried out at Zitouna Agricultural Development Company in Zaghouan governorate to study the impact of magnetized irrigation water on clay soil and on leaf mineral content of Arbequina olive tree growing under drip irrigation with saline water. Bimonthly soil samples were taken with an auger every 20 cm over 1 m depth. Olive leaf samples were taken from the trees located above the soil sampling points. The results showed that soil parameters variations are the same throughout the depths 0–20, 20–40, 40–60, 60–80, and 80–100 cm. As a consequence, the interpretation of the effect of magnetized irrigation water was restricted to 0–100 cm soil depth. However, a slight decrease of the pH was observed with the use of magnetized water. On other side, we reported that the electromagnetic treatment of irrigation water increases the soil moisture (Hs) and favors the absorption of N, P, K+, and Na+ by olive tree leaf tissues. Also, water use efficiency (WUE) in the plot irrigated with treated water is equal to 1.3 compared to that irrigated with untreated water. Thus, 30% improvement in yield using treated water.