Effect of salinity on soil properties and water productivity of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) under drip irrigation
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Date
2021-07
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CCSHAU, Hisar
Abstract
Field experiment was conducted at the Research farm of Soil Science Department, CCSHAU, Hisar in the Kharif season during the years 2019 and 2020. The brinjal variety Hisar Shyamal was transplanted in split plot design and the experiment consisted of two irrigation methods (drip and surface flood) and three saline water levels (canal, ECiw=2.5 and 5.0 dS/m) as main treatments and three N fertilizer levels (75, 100 and 125% RDN) as sub-main treatment. The results revealed that the soil physical properties (bulk density, MWHC and SWRC) did not significantly affected by the saline water. The SOC decreased with increased saline water levels and the highest values were observed at 125% RDN. Soil pH and ECe increased with the saline water up to ECiw=5.0 dS/m and lower values were observed under drip irrigation. The cationic and anionic composition of soil extract was observed highest in saline water of ECiw=5.0 dS/m under surface flood irrigation. Available N and P of soil decreased and available K increased significantly with the increasing water salinity up to ECiw=5.0 dS/m. Available P and K decreased with the N fertilizer application at 125% RDN. The total NPK content in plant was significantly higher under canal water followed by ECiw=2.5 dS/m and ECiw=5.0 dS/m, respectively. The nitrogen fertilizer applied through drip increased the total N by 33.8, 27.9 and 25.9% at 75, 100 and 125% RDN over the flood irrigation. The data on the plant height, number of branches, fruit height, fruit diameter, number of fruits per plant, fruit weight, dry matter and fruit yield decreased with the increasing water salinity. However, the values of these parameters were more under drip than the surface flood irrigation. Regarding brinjal fruit quality, a significant decrease was observed in protein and carotenoid content while, total phenol and ascorbic acid increased under increasing water salinity. However, all the quality parameter increased with nitrogen application but total phenol decreased with the highest nitrogen doses (upto 125% RDN). The physiological parameters were also significantly affected by the increased saline water and N fertilizer levels under both the irrigation methods. These physiological parameters were observed improved under drip irrigation. The effect of the nitrogen fertilization at 100% RDN on physiological parameters was found statistically at par with the 125% RDN. Drip irrigation increased the nitrogen use efficiency and water use efficiency by 29.3 and 141.5% (ECiw=2.5 dS/m) and 36.8% and 147.3% (ECiw=5.0 dS/m) over surface flood irrigation method. The Hydrus-2D model performed well for simulating soil water and salt dynamics in drip irrigation as compared to surface flood irrigation