Performance of Irrigation Systems under Water Salinity in Wheat Production

Abstract

Use of saline water in irrigated agriculture, as a means of its disposal, was evaluated on a field experiment that conducted in season (2012/2013) at sites of NRC farm, Nubaria, Behaira Governorate to study the effect of saline water injected rates (0, 15 and 30 %) under surface drip (SD), subsurface drip at 10 (SSD 10) and 20 cm (SSD 20) at soil depth on vegetative growth, yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of wheat crop (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Gemmaiza 9). The experiment design was randomized complete block in two factors. Results showed that irrigation systems, SSD 20 , has a promotive effect on the both wheat grain and straw yield, and the percentage of the increase was 6.9 and 5.7 %, respectively as compared with SD irrigation system. While the percentage of the increase was 1.7 and 1.8 % comparing SSD 10 with SD irrigation system for grain and straw yield, respectively. According to the saline irrigation water effect, data noticed that increasing water salinity rate associated with decreasing in wheat yield of both grain and straw and the reduction percentage were 38.5 and 40.0 in same sequences comparing 30 % saline water with 0 %., while 15 % saline water decrease yield of grain and straw by about 16.5 and 16.1 %, respectively. That is, even though the field appears to have plenty of moisture, the plants wilt because the roots are unable to absorb the water. Increasing water salinity at 15 % reduced WUE of wheat grain and straw by about 11.6 and 16.2 % and the reduction were 37.5 and 39.8 % at saline water 30 % for same sequences. Responses of wheat growth to water deficits vary depending on wheat species and growth stages. Highly positive correlation's coefficient was attained among wheat plant characters, except with water consumptive during growing season of wheat plant. Water consumptive was negatively correlated with the other studied wheat plant characters.