Abstract
The electrical conductivity of soil saturated paste extract (ECe) is used as an indicator for estimating soil salinity. This method is time consuming and laborious and therefore, easier and faster methods are usually used with different soil/water ratios, such as 1:5 (EC1:5), for estimating the ECe. Usually, the relationship between ECe and EC1:5 is described by a simple linear empirical equation. The value of the conversion factor (CF) of EC1:5 to ECe is affected by the particular characteristics of the soil, such as its texture. The objective of this study is to investigate models that allow the inclusion of soil texture in the calculation of the CF, in order to improve the prediction of the ECe. A total of 148 soil samples with different soil texture and salinity levels were selected from three regions of Greece, and ECe, EC1:5, as well as clay and sand contents were determined. The results show that the CF can be estimated from an equation which incorporates the clay and sand contents through the soil saturation percentage (SP) and can give a fairly good prediction of ECe from EC1:5 (R2 = 0.9887 and RMSE = 1.39 dSm−1).
Highlights
Academic Editor: Zeng-Yei HseuSoil salinity is one of the most important limiting factors in food production due to its impact on the degradation of soils, especially in arid and semi-arid regions
Saline soils are characterized by high concentration of soluble salts and by high extract’s electrical conductivity (ECe) values (ECe > 4 dSm−1 ), while sodic soils are characterized by the composition of soluble salts with higher proportion of Na relative to Ca and Mg
44.5% of the samples are characterized as clay loam soils (CL), 16.2% clay (C) and 13.5%
Summary
Soil salinity is one of the most important limiting factors in food production due to its impact on the degradation of soils, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Worldwide, approximately one billion hectares have salinity problems [1]. The intensity of these problems become even greater by both the increase of the irrigated areas and the consequent increase of groundwater for irrigation in arid and semi-arid areas. In coastal areas, the quality of irrigation water is degraded in aquifers. The monitoring and evaluation of soil salinity is of vital importance for the rational management of degraded soils and sustainable food production. Soil salinity is conventionally estimated by measurement of the soil-saturated paste extract’s electrical conductivity (ECe ) [2]. Soils are classified as saline soils when ECe > 4 dSm−1 and the exchangeable sodium percentage ESP < 15% and classified as sodic soils when
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