Effect of water deficit on food productivity under saline conditions: Case study – North Sinai, Egypt

Abstract

Egypt is dependent mainly on the surface water coming from the Nile River. The water demand is increasing because of the rapid growth of populations and the impacts of climate change. Egypt is highly vulnerable to climate change, which increases the water demand and causes a loss of crops. Thus, one of the main challenges facing the sequential government during the previous decades was to enhance the agriculture sector by increasing the efficiency of water use. In this context, a field trial in Saline Soil at Sahl El-Tina (North Sinai) was designed in a system of a completely randomized block design and this trial was carried out during two winter seasons, 2011/2012 and 2012/2013, to study the response of economic crop (faba bean) yield to different water supply regimes. The experiment included three water irrigations, El-Salam Canal, schedules 3,600, 6,000, and 7,200 m3/ha (ha = 10,000 m2), and two varieties of faba bean. The results obtained showed a reduction in soil salinity values with increasing water supply. That is, applying the water regime of 7,200 m3/ha revealed decreased soil salinity on the experimental farm by 30% compared with using the water regime 3,600 m3/ha for both seasons. Nevertheless, the results of the yield quantity showed that the weight of seeds/plant (g) and plant height (cm) decreased with reduction of the water supply. For the yield quality, such as seed quality, carbohydrate percentage, high protein, seedling dry weight, and radical length were accompanied by low water application (3,600 m3/ha). The results relevant to the approach to water use efficiency were suitable with lower water supplies. In addition, using the water regime of 6,000 m3/ha with the Sakha 3 cultivar under saline soil conditions was more efficient according to the concepts of water saving, water use efficiency, seed quality, and yield.