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An Advantageous Level of Irrigation Water Salinity for Wheat Cultivation

M. A. Mojid
Department of Irrigation and Water Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh–2202, Bangladesh

K. F. I. Murad
Department of Irrigation and Water Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh–2202, Bangladesh

S. S. Tabriz
Department of Irrigation and Water Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh–2202, Bangladesh

G. C. L. Wyseure
Division of Land and Water Management, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences,Celestjnenlaan 200E, 3001 Leuven (Heverlee), Belgium

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv. Shatabdi) to irrigation water of five salinity levels was investigated at the Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) farm with a view to search for a possible advantageous salinity level for the crop. The experiment comprised five treatments − I₁: irrigation by fresh water of background salinity 0.385 dS m⁻¹ (control) and I₂ − I5: irrigation by synthetic saline water (prepared by mixing sodium chloride salt with fresh water) of electrical conductivity (EC) 4, 7, 10 and 13 dS m⁻¹ (at 25^oC), respectively. Wheat was grown under three irrigation applied at maximum tillering, booting and milking/grain filling stages, and with recommended fertilizer dose. Irrigation water of EC ≥10 dS m⁻¹ significantly (p = 0.05) suppressed most growth and yield attributes, and yield of wheat compared to irrigation by fresh water (I₁). An attention-grabbing observation was that irrigation by saline water of 4 dS m⁻¹ (I₂) contributed positively to the crop attributes. Leaf area index (LAI), spike length, spikelets and grains per spike, 1000-grain weight and above ground dry matter (ADM) of wheat increased by 1.9−3.4, 0.9, 2.6, 7.4, 2.1 and 2.8−6.0%, respectively in I₂ compared to the control. The improvement in the LAI and ADM in I₂ was significant over I₁. Because of the largest spike density, the utmost grain (3.85 t ha⁻¹), straw (5.09 t ha⁻¹) and biomass (8.93 t ha⁻¹) yields of wheat were however obtained under I₁. The proposition of the advantageous irrigation water salinity level of 4 dS m⁻¹ thus warrants further investigation.

Keywords: Irrigation water, Salinity level, Wheat yield

Location: Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh.

Start Date: 00-11-2010

End Date: 00-03-2011

Program Area: Risk Management in Agriculture

Commodity: Wheat

Objectives:

To search for a possible advantageous salinity level for the crop.

Methodology:

The experiment was conducted during November 2010 to March 2011 in the experimental farm of Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh. The experiment consisted of a single factor, irrigation water salinity. The treatments were I₁: irrigation by fresh water with a background EC of 0.385 dS m⁻¹ (control) and I₂ − I₅: irrigation by saline water of EC 4, 7, 10 and 13 dS m⁻¹, respectively. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The plot size was 3 m × 2 m, buffer space between the adjacent plots was 1 m and that between the adjacent replications was 0.5 m. Recommended fertilizer dose for wheat (120 kg N, 32 kg P, 62 kg K, 20 kg S, 3 kg Zn and 1 kg B ha⁻¹ in the form of urea, triple super phosphate, muriate of potash, gypsum, zinc sulphate and borax, respectively; BARC, 2005) was used. Two-thirds of urea and the entire doses of other fertilizers were applied to the plots as a basal dose. The remaining urea was top-dressed at 20 days after sowing (DAS). Wheat seeds (cv. Shatabdi), @ 120 kg ha⁻¹) were sown at 2−3 cm depth in 20-cm apart rows on 24 November 2010. Weeds were uprooted when required. Prevalence of insect pests was controlled by spraying Bavistine and Ridomil Gold. Irrigation was scheduled on the basis of growth stages of wheat: maximum tillering (35−40 DAS), booting (50−60 DAS) and milking/grain filling (75−85 DAS). Quantity of irrigation water was calculated by the difference in soil-water content at field capacity and that measured prior to application of irrigation for an effective root zone depth of 60 cm. The field capacity of the soil was measured in situ before the first irrigation. The soil-water contents were measured with a Trime FM soil moisture meter (Eijkelkamp, The Netherlands). Saline water (for irrigation) was prepared by mixing sodium chloride (table salt) (@ 2.85, 5.08, 7.31 and 9.55 g salt per liter water) with fresh water that was pumped from a deep tubewell to obtain 4, 7, 10 and 13 dS m⁻¹ salinity (at 25^oC), respectively. Same amount of water was applied to each plot in a particular irrigation in check basins. Three irrigations, totaling 9 cm of water, were applied cautiously so that saline water did not adhere to the leaves of the crop. Leaf area index (LAI) and aboveground dry matter (ADM) of wheat was determined twice: at booting (49 DAS) and grain filling (90 DAS) stages. In order to measure the LAI and ADM of wheat, ten randomly selected plants from the buffer portion (area surrounding one square meter central portion) of each plot were clipped at the ground level on 49 and 90 DAS. The leaf blades were separated from the sheath at the collar and their areas were measured with a LI-3100 Leaf-Area Meter (LI-COR Biosciences, USA). The LAI for each plot was calculated by the ratio of the total leaf area in the sample plants to the average ground area occupied by them; the average ground area was calculated from the area of a plot and its plant population. The ADMs of the plots were determined by drying the stems and leaves of the sample plants in oven at 70^oC for 72 h. The yield and yield attributes were recorded. A combined analysis of variance of the growth and yield attributes, grain and biomass yields (sum of grain and straw yields), and harvest index (HI) of wheat was done for the RCB by using MSTAT-C.

Source of Information: J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 11(1): 141–146, 2013, ISSN 1810-3030

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Irrigation water of EC ≥10 dS m⁻¹ significantly (p = 0.05) suppressed most growth and yield attributes, and yield of wheat compared to irrigation by fresh water (I₁). An attention-grabbing observation was that irrigation by saline water of 4 dS m⁻¹ (I₂) contributed positively to the crop attributes. Leaf area index (LAI), spike length, spikelets and grains per spike, 1000-grain weight and above ground dry matter (ADM) of wheat increased by 1.9−3.4, 0.9, 2.6, 7.4, 2.1 and 2.8−6.0%, respectively in I₂ compared to the control. The improvement in the LAI and ADM in I₂ was significant over I₁. Because of the largest spike density, the utmost grain (3.85 t ha⁻¹), straw (5.09 t ha⁻¹) and biomass (8.93 t ha⁻¹) yields of wheat were however obtained under I₁. The proposition of the advantageous irrigation water salinity level of 4 dS m⁻¹ thus warrants further investigation.

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