The characteristics of soil water content and salinity under microsprinkler irrigation parameters in coastal saline soils

Abstract

Abstract. A laboratory experiment was used to study the effects of microsprinkler irrigation on characteristics of soil water content and salinity in coastal saline soils (ECe=27.80 dS/m; SAR=59.71) of north China. The experimental treatments included five water application intensity treatments (1.18, 2.12, 3.05, 5.19, 7.23 mm/h) and three time periods of water redistribution (0, 24, and 48 h). The compounding microsprinkler system was used in the experiments of water application intensity. Results indicated that the soil water content decreased as soil depth increased, with the water application intensity increasing, the relatively moist region reduced and the average soil water content decreased. Meanwhile, the soil ECe increased as the soil depth increased, the zone with low soil salinity was reduced with water application intensity increasing. The average pH and time periods of water redistribution treatments have no obvious changing tendency. Considering the effects of leached salts in coastal saline soils, water application intensity is the smaller the better on the premise of water movement in soil under unsaturated flow conditions and a water application intensity of less than 3.05 mm/h can be used to attain the expected purpose of reclamation coastal saline land in north China.