Effect Of Irrigation Water Quality Research Articles

Effect of Irrigation Water Quality Under Supplementary Irrigation on Soil Chemical and Physical Properties in the “Southern Humid Pampas” of Argentina

Summary Salinity and sodicity were quantified at five locations irrigated with central pivots and different water qualities in the southeast of Buenos Aires Province. Changes in electrical conductivity (ECe) and sodium adsorption ratio (SARe) of saturated soil extract were determined from soil cores collected to a depth of 0.6 m between 1996 and 1998. Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity was measured with disk in-filtrometers. Soil from one location, Balcarce, was treated with synthetic waters to obtain variable levels of SARe. Laboratory studies on optical transmission (OT), aggregate percentage (AP), and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) were performed. Infiltration of rainfall caused a substantial dilution of salt concentration. Changes in sodicity were persistent, but tended to stabilize between SARe = 5 to SARe = 7. When irrigation was discontinued for a year and 1129 mm of rainfall leached the soil, the SARe value decreased from 5.3 to 1.8. Ks showed a threshold at exchangeable sodium percentage (...

RAINFALL ENERGY EFFECTS ON RUNOFF AND INTERRILL EROSION IN EFFLUENT IRRIGATED SOILS

Seal formation at soil surfaces is significantly affected by raindrop kinetic energy (KE). Soil sealing enhances runoff and soil erosion. It has been hypothesized that in soils exposed to rain (i) runoff and interrill erosion levels in soils previously irrigated with effluents differ from those in soils previously irrigated with fresh water (FW), and (ii) that the difference in runoff and interrill erosion between the previously irrigated effluent and FW samples depends on rain KE. The effects offour droplet KE levels (3.6, 8.0, 12.4, and 15.9 kJ m -3 ) of distilled water (DW) on runoff and wash erosion of four smectitic soils that had been irrigated for many years with fresh water or effluents was studied with a drip-type rain simulator. The soils used were a loamy loess (Calcic Haploxeralf) from Be'er Sheva Valley, a dark brown sandy clay vertisol (Chromic Haploxerert) from the Pleshet Plains (vertisol HH), and two dark brown heavy clay vertisols (Chromic Haploxerert) from Zevulun Valley (vertisol Y) and Western Galilee (vertisol E), Israel. For all soils, total runoff and wash erosion values increased with the increase in rain KE. Total runoff levels were lower for the FW-irrigated samples than for the effluent-irrigated soils, except for the highest KE where no differences in runoff between the two types of soils was noted. Conversely, for each soil and each rain KE, wash erosion was higher in the effluent-irrigated samples than in the FW-irrigated ones. Total runoff was affected mainly by changes in rain KE at the lower to medium range of the KE studied. Thus, the effects of irrigation water quality (i.e., effluents vs. FW) on total runoff was pronounced mainly at the low-to-moderate rain KE range; at high rain KE, the effects of irrigation water quality on runoff were negligible. Wash erosion was affected mainly by changes in rain KE at the medium-to-high KE range studied. That wash erosion increased markedly at the high rain KE values, despite the negligible change in runoff level, suggested that for KE > 12.4 kJ m -3 , seal formation was completed, and the contribution of runoff in facilitating transport for the entrained material was secondary to the role of soil detachment in determining wash erosion. The dependence of wash erosion (through soil detachment) on rain KE was greater than its dependence on the quality of the irrigation water that the soil was exposed to in the past (FW vs. effluent).

Effect of Irrigation Water Contaminated with Uranium Mill Tailings on Sudan Grass, Sorghum vulgare var. sudanense, and Fourwing Saltbush, Atriplex canescens

A greenhouse experiment was carried out to estimate the effects of irrigation water quality on chemical uptake and productivity of Sudan grass (Sorghum vulgare var. sudanense) and fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens). Water and soil were obtained from an inactive U ore processing site near Tuba City, Arizona. Two observation wells provided the irrigation water. One was located upgradient from the contaminated site, and was located in the center of the plume downgradient from the area contaminated by the milling operations. A 50/50 mix of the two well waters was used as a third treatment. Concentrations of Se and U in aboveground tissues of saltbush were significantly (< 0.05) elevated when irrigated with the undiluted contaminated water, but not to unacceptable levels. In the case of Sudan grass, Mo, Se, U, NO3 -N, and S were significantly (< 0.05) elevated in the contaminated water treatment, and all except NO3 -N were elevated with the diluted contaminated water, but again within acceptable limits. Saltbush productivity was not significantly (< 0.05) affected by the three irrigation treatments. Sudan grass aboveground biomass results suggest that the undiluted contaminated plume water could be used for effective crop production, although productivity was significantly better with the nutrient-amended baseline water and the diluted contaminated water. Root biomass was significantly greater in the baseline water irrigation.

IRRIGATION WATER EFFECTS ON INFILTRATION RATE IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS

Supplemental irrigation is expanding in the Northern Great Plains. Limited access to water of suitable quality for sustained irrigation and uncertainty about the impact of the use of marginal water on the soil resource will limit adoption of this practice. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of irrigation water quality and amount on the infiltration rate, Q, at 50, 100, and 150 mm tensions, (h), and to relate the change in Q to changes in soil salinity and sodicity caused by irrigation. Tension infiltrometers were used to determine Q for soils at two sites in central North Dakota. Each site had 18 nonweighing lysimeters supporting alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) that had been irrigated at three levels of irrigation (1ET, 2ET, and 3ET) for at least 10 years with either good quality surface water [electrical conductivity (EC) 0.1 S m -1 , sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) 4] or poor quality simulated groundwater (EC 0.34 S m -1 , SAR 16). At the site having sandy soils, Q, averaged over irrigation levels, was greater [Q(50) = 5.34 μm s -1 , Q(100) = 3.74 μm s -1 , Q(150) = 2.96 μm s -1 ] in soils irrigated with good quality water than in soils irrigated with poor quality water [Q(50) = 3.06 μm s -1 , Q(100) = 2.31 μm s -1 , Q(150) = 2.01 μm s -1 ]. Level of irrigation had no effect. At the site having loam textured soils Q was lower under the two higher irrigation levels than under the 1ET level, likely the result of greater replacement of divalent cations with Na + at the higher leaching rates. At this site Q, averaged over irrigation levels, were greater [Q(50) = 3.08 μm s -1 , Q(100) = 2.55 μm s -1 , Q(150) = 2.02 μm s -1 ] in soils irrigated with good quality water than in soils irrigated with poor quality water [K(50) = 2.05 μm s -1 , K(100) = 1.63 μm s -1 , K(150) = 1.28 μm s -1 ]. Reductions in Q were directly related to increases in soil SAR (e.g., at the 1ET level of irrigation, SAR = 3 in soil irrigated with good quality water and SAR = 6 in soil irrigated with poor quality water) resulting from irrigation. These results suggest that these sulfatic soils are sensitive to Na + -induced deterioration. Soil physical deterioration was apparent at SARs much lower than the SAR 13 used to describe soils as sodic. Soil water compatibility in these soils is critical for sustainable irrigation.

Effect of Irrigation Water Quality on Salt Accumulation in Soil and Mineral Contents of Alfalfa in the United Arab Emirates

Effect of Irrigation Water Quality on Salt Accumulation in Soil and Mineral Contents of Alfalfa in the United Arab Emirates

Effects of irrigation water quality on loquat plant nutrition: Sensitivity of loquat plant to salinity

An investigation was conducted to study the possible use of municipal wastewater for watering loquat plants, and to determine the effects of this water on nutrient status of two‐year‐old loquat plants (Eriobotriae japonica L.) during two complete vegetative cycles. The plants, grafted on franco and Anger stocks, were planted on major soils of the area of La Marina Babea. Plants (grafted on franco stock), irrigated with this wastewater, suffered from foliar necrosis, and all of them died at the end of the experiment, whereas only 12.5% of the plants watered with municipal drinking water died at the same period of time. The Anger stock proved to be much more resistant to salinity than the franco stock. Therefore, medium quality waters (wastewater and saline water) can be used for the irrigation of loquat trees grafted on Anger stock, without causing damages on plant nutrition.

Effect of Water-soluble Fertilizer Nitrogen Form on Root-medium pH, NH4-N, and Impatiens Tissue Nitrogen

Impatiens were grown in media containing either hydrated or carbonate dolomitic lime and subirrigated for 17 weeks with four irrigation water qualities (IWQ) and three water-soluble fertilizers (WSF). The WSF concentration was 14N–0.6P–5K mol·m–3 but contained either 50%, 25 %, or 3 % NH4-N. After 8 weeks, rootmedium pH ranged from 4.5 to 8.0. In general, the higher the percent NH4-N content of the WSF, the lower the root-medium pH, although there were significant interactions between IWQ and lime type with WSF on root-medium pH. With the same WSF, the concentration of NH4-N measured in the root media depended on root-medium pH. For example, with WSF containing 50% NH4-N, root-medium pH with the various IWQ ranged from 4.5 to 6.0, and media NH4-N ranged from 5.0 to 0.1 mol N/m3. Tissue N concentrations were higher with the higher NH4: NO4 ratio WSF at all four sampling dates. The effect of IWQ on tissue N resulted from the root-medium pH effects produced by the various IWQ/WSF combinations. Shoot fresh and dry weights were unaffected by the NH4: NO3 ratios in the WSF.

Mineral composition of peanut tissue as influenced by irrigation water quality and irrigation method

Abstract Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), is produced in the Virginia and North Carolina coastal plain where sodic deep well water sources are more readily available than high quality shallow well sources. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of irrigation water quality and irrigation method on the mineral composition of peanut tissue. Virginia‐type peanuts were grown on a Kenansville loamy sand (loamy, siliceous, thermic Arenic Hapludult) in Suffolk, VA from 1985 to 1987. Peanuts were irrigated with either overhead sprinklers or deep buried trickle lines using sodic deep‐well (142 m) and nonsodic shallow‐well (10 m) water. Trickle lines were buried 350 to 410 mm below each row. Sodic water had 220 mg Na/L, a pH of 8.5, and a sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of 103. Non‐sodic water had 4.8 mg Na/L, a pH of 4.8, and an SAR of 3.1. Sodic water did not affect soil levels of Ca and Mg. Soil Na and pH were both higher to a depth of 900 mm in soil irrigated with sodic water. Sodic water appeared to reduce the concentration of Mg and increase the concentration of K in plant tissue. Plants from plots irrigated with sodic water concentrated Na in the stems and roots. Only in 1987, which was the driest year of the study, did seed concentration of plants irrigated with sodic water differ significantly from non‐sodic irrigated and non‐irrigated concentrations. Trickle irrigation reduced the amount of Na in the plants and may be the best way to use sodic irrigation water for peanut production.

Irrigation Method and Water Quality Effects on Corn Yield in the Mid‐Atlantic Coastal Plain

AbstractDeep well sodic sources of irrigation water are often more readily available than high quality shallow or surface sources for corn (Zea mays L.) grown in the U.S. Southeast. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of irrigation water quality and irrigation method on corn production in the Virginia‐North Carolina coastal plain. Pioneer 3320 corn was grown in rotation with peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) on a Kenansville loamy sand (loamy, siliceous, thermic Arenic Hapludult) in Suffolk, VA, in 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1988. Corn was irrigated with either overhead sprinklers or trickle lines buried 0.35 to 0.41 m below each row with sodic deep well (142 m) and non‐sodic shallow (10 m) water. Sodic water had 220 mg Na L−1, a pH of 8.5, and a sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of 103. Non‐sodic water had 4.8 mg Na L−1, a pH of 4.8, and an SAR of 3.1. Corn yields averaged 9970 kg ha−1 with irrigation and 7650 kg ha−1 without. Irrigation method and water quality did not affect yields of irrigated corn. Soil pH increased during the study but appeared to stabilize between 6 and 7 in the surface soil. No evidence of an increase in subsoil acidity was detected. Winter rainfall and gypsum applied to the rotational peanut crop appear to be adequate to prevent the soil exchange from being dominated by Na. The results indicate that sodic water can be used to irrigate corn in the mid‐Atlantic coastal plain and that trickle irrigation can reduce water input for corn by 30% or more.

Water Quality Effects on Soils and Alfalfa: I. Water Use, Yield, and Nutrient Concentration

AbstractThe detrimental effects of salt buildup in northern Great Plains soils need quantification. This study was conducted to evaluate effects of irrigation water quality on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) yield, water use, and nutrient concentration during a 21‐mo period. Irrigation waters of seven qualities, totaling 4400 mm in wet/dry cycles, were applied to 20 by 60 cm undisturbed soil columns under green‐house conditions. Four loam soils representing moderate to moderately slow permeable drainage classes were used. The soils were: Williams loam (fine‐loamy, mixed Typic Argiboroll), Barnes loam (fine‐loamy, mixed Udic Haploboroll), Svea loam (fine‐loamy, mixed Pachic Haploboroll), and Parshall loam (coarse‐loamy, mixed Pachic Haploboroll). Effects of soil, water quality, and time on yield and water use were highly significant (R2 = 0.94*** [*** denotes significance at P = 0.001] and 0.93***, respectively). In all soils and waters, yield and water use decreased 30 to 60% by the end of the experiment. Mean nutrient concentrations, with the exception of Na, remained within 10% of the original values. Irrigation water with sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of 20 and ionic concentration of 20 mmolc L−1 increased the alfalfa Na concentration to 15 times that with distilled irrigation water. Total Na added accounted for 84%*** of variation in relative yield. One‐half of the salt‐induced yield reduction appeared in the first third of the experiment. This underscores the inadvisability of irrigating with poor‐quality water that might be available during drought periods.

Irrigation Method and Water Quality Effect on Peanut Yield and Grade

AbstractPeanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), irrigated only recently in the coastal plain region of Virginia and North Carolina, is produced in an area where sodic deep water sources are more readily available than high quality shallow water sources. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of irrigation water quality and irrigation method on the yield and grade of peanut. Virginia‐type peanuts (cv. VA 81B) were grown on a Kenansville loamy sand (loamy, siliceous, thermic Arenic Hapludult) in Suffolk, VA from 1984 to 1987. Peanuts were irrigated with either overhead sprinklers or deep buried trickle lines using deep‐well (142 m) and shallow‐well (10 m) water. Trickle lines were buried 350 to 410 mm below each row. Deep‐well water had 220 mg Na L−1, a pH of 8.5, and a sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of 103. Shallow‐well water had 4.8 mg Na L−1, a pH of 4.8, and an SAR of 3.1. Shallow‐well, trickle‐irrigated peanuts yielded 5003 kg ha−1 or 14% higher than the nonirrigated treatment. Deep‐well, sprinkler‐irrigated peanuts averaged 4374 kg ha−1 for 4 yr, which was 21 kg ha−1 lower than the nonirrigated treatment. The price of deep‐well, sprinkler‐irrigated peanuts was also lower than all other treatments due to lower percentages of extra‐large kernels, total sound mature kernels, and fancy pods. Deep‐well water applied below 300 mm through trickle irrigation produced peanuts of comparable quality and quantity as the shallow‐well, trickle, or sprinkler‐irrigation treatments. Irrigation of peanuts was beneficial in this humid region. There was no difference in peanut yield or grade when sprinkler or trickle irrigation was used with good quality irrigation water, but trickle irrigation required only 44% as much water. With a sodic water source, trickle irrigation was superior to sprinkler application.

Effect of Irrigation Water Quality on Release/Precipitation of Ions in a Vertic Ustochrept

AbstractA laboratory study was conducted on a smectitic clay soil (Vertic Ustochrept) to assess the release/precipitation of ions from cation balance as a result of irrigation with chloride, chloride‐bicarbonate and chloride‐sulphate water each containing 50 meq/l t.e.c.The study shows that irrigation waters having electrolyte concentration of 50 meq/l or more containing either chloride or chloride and bicarbonate ions should not be used for irrigating these soils irrespective of their SAR because they create sodicity. The waters containing both chloride and sulphate ions result in calcium precipitate buildup in soil. Although indiscriminate use of such waters may lead to concurrent buildup of salinity in the absence of adequate leaching.

Crop‐water Production Functions for Sweet Corn and Cotton Irrigated with Saline Waters

AbstractThe effect of irrigation water quality (salinity) and quantity on the yields of sweet corn (Zea mays cv. Jubilee) and cotton Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. Acala SJ‐2) was studied in a sandy loam (Typic Torrifluvent) soil. For each of the irrigation water salinities of Co = 1.8, 3.6 and 6.7 dS/m (for corn) and Co = 3.6, 6.7, and 10.5 dS/m (for cotton), 10 amounts of irrigation water (Q) ranging from 0.15 to 2.7 times the class A pan evaporation (Eo) were applied via trickle irrigation. Root zone soil‐water matric potential, water content, and salinity were monitored, and corn and cotton yield components were measured. Time‐averaged root zone soil water content (θ) and soil salinity (EC), as well as crop yield components (Y) were affected by both Q and Co. Results of the analyses of the crop‐water production functions suggest that increasing the amount of irrigation water may compensate only in part for the adverse effects of the salinity of the irrigation water. For corn, using irrigation water of Co = 3.6 and 6.7 dS/m, maximum ear yields were reduced by 8 and 27%, respectively, relative to the maximum ear yield obtained using water of 1.8 dS/m. For cotton, using irrigation water of Co = 6.7 and 10.5 dS/m, maximum seed cotton yields were reduced by 6.5 and 30%, respectively, relative to the maximum seed cotton yield obtained using water of 3.6 dS/m. Analysis of the Y(θ, EC) relationship for each of the corn and the cotton yield components suggested that, due to the mutual effect of θ and EC on Y, the crop response to salinity curve is affected by θ and, in general, should be described by a nonlinear concave expression rather than by the piecewise linear expression of Maas and Hoffman (1977).

Lettuce Yield‐Irrigation Water Quality and Quantity Relationships in a Gypsiferous Desert Soil1

AbstractEvaluation of the possibility of utilizing marginal soils and saline waters for agricultural production is essential for the development of arid zones. The effect of irrigation water quality (salinity) and quantity on the yield of lettuce (Lactuca saliva var. ‘Iceberg’) was studied in a gypsiferous desert soil (Typic Torrifluvent). Irrigation water volume (Q) ranging from 0.37 to 1.3, 0.6 to 1.6, and 0.7 to 2.4 times the Class A pan evaporation (Eo) for the irrigation water salinities of Ciw = 1.7, 3.1, and 4.7 dS/m, respectively, were applied via trickle irrigation. Root zone soil water pressure potential and salinity were monitored and lettuce yield was measured. Seasonal average soil water content (θ̅) was affected by irrigation water volume but not by quality (salinity) whereas seasonal average soil water salinity (E̅C̅) and lettuce yield (Y) were affected by both quality and quantity of the irrigation water. For the different ranges of Q associated with the different irrigation waters, θ̅ was increased by 30, 44, and 94%, EC was decreased by 20, 21, and 18%, and Y was increased by 120, 71, and 55% for Ciw = 1.7, 3.1, and 4.7 dS/m, respectively. Curvelinear salt tolerance functions were found to be dependent on the volume of irrigation water, approaching a piecewise linear function when relatively large volumes of irrigation water (Q/Eo &gt; 1) were applied. The increase in irrigation volume compensated only in part for the adverse effect of the irrigation water salinity. Maximum yields obtained using the more saline waters are 6.5 and 20.7% smaller for Ciw = 3.1 and 4.7 dS/m, respectively, relative to yield obtained using Ciw =1.7 dS/m.

Incidence de la salinité sur les cultures irriguées

The effects of irrigation water quality on plant growth is predictable. The haricot bean was considered in this study, because of its high sensitivity to NaCl, which was found to have the same effect on crop output in bath sail and nutrient solutions. The study was limited to consideration of a nutrient solution, which is easier to handle, gives accurate results and is representative of local soil conditions. Separate investigation of factors governing the effect of salinity on the haricot bean showed that : 1. Leaves are more sensitive to NaCl than pods and stalks. 2. Plant sensitivity increases under bright illumination. 3. The stage of growth at which the plant reacts most strongly to salt is between the first seedless leaf and flowering. Afterwards, salt-sensitivity can no longer be determined. This will no doubt be of interest to farmers planning irrigation. 4. At osmotic pressures in excess of 2 atmospheres, plant yield is totally unaffected by the salt causing the osmotic pressure rise. Below 2 atmospheres, yield increases with osmotic pressure if the pressure rise is caused by nutrient salt concentration, but decreases if salts are responsible (especially NaCl, and to a lesser degree Na2SO4). Owing to the decisive effects of environmental and equilibrium factors, considerable caution is advisable when evaluating loss of yield due to salinity. These factors must be known for all practical evaluation purposes. An overall evaluation of loss of yield due to salt can be simulated by a linear model, except at low concentrations, for which this type of model is probably no longer representative. The effect of salinity in the considered zones was studied by two experimental methods in which observation of the effects of NaCl was based on water absorption and photosynthesis. Attempts to determine a critical salinity value were unsuccessful. High Cl concentrations (0.75-2 g/l) apparently produced less depressive effects. Irrigation and soil water salinities were also related by a linear model. Hence, there is a linear relationship between haricot bean pod output and irrigation water Cl concentration, from which the effect of salt pollution on plant yield can be predicted.