Effect of deficit irrigation and water salinity on soil salinity distribution and date plants vegetative growth

Subject Areas : Farm water management with the aim of improving irrigation management indicators

Majid Alihouri ¹ , Abd Ali Naseri ² , Saeed Boroomand-Nasab ³ , Alireza Kiani ⁴

1 - PhD Student, Water Sciences Engineering Faculty, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
2 - Professor, Irrigation and Drainage Department, Water Sciences Engineering Faculty, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
3 - Professor, Irrigation and Drainage Department, Water Sciences Engineering Faculty, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran
4 - Associate Professor, Agricultural Engineering Research Department, Golestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Gorgan, Iran

Received: 2014-12-14 Accepted : 2015-05-28 Published : 2015-06-21

Keywords: date palm, irrigation, mulch, water salinity,

Abstract :

Deficit irrigation and suitable usage of saline water resources is such as optimization ways in water consumption and increasing water productivity. This experiment was carried out in factorial method based on randomized complete design with three replications for investigation of deficit irrigation and water salinity effects on Barhee date palm juvenile plants vegetative growth. The treatments were three irrigation depths of 100%, 85% and 70% water requirement and three irrigation water salinities of 2.3, 8 and 12 dS/m. The plant water requirement was determined based on soil moisture deficiency. Soil salinity was measured with sampling from soil different depths. The results showed soil salinity had a direct and significant connection with irrigation water salinity. The soil salinity in irrigation water salinity of 12 dS/m was 1.73–1.84 times greater than water salinity of 2.3 dS/m. The soil salinity was reduced with increasing soil depth. The irrigation depth had significant effect on leaf number, leaf length and leaflet number, while irrigation water salinity had significant effect on leaf number, leaf length, leaf width, leaflet number and truck perimeter. Interaction of irrigation depth and irrigation water salinity had significantly effects on all vegetative characteristics except leaf chlorophyll and leaflet width. Increasing growth characteristics of I1S1 treatment were 1.3-3.6 times greater than I3S3 treatment. The highest Barhee date palm juvenile plants vegetative growth obtained from I1S1 treatment that was on significant with I2S1 treatment.