BRACKISH WATER FOR IRRIGATION: IV. EFFECTS ON YIELD OF MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY OF SOIL

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of brackish water irrigation on fresh biomass yield of maize variety Agati-72 and saturated hydraulic conductivity (HC) of silty clay loam soil. Total 20 treatment combinations having different ECiw (0.65, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 7.35 dS m-1), SARiw [3.95, 9.65, 18.0, 26.35 and 32.04 (mmol L-1)1/2] and RSC (0.65, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 7.35 mmolc L-1) were applied to 30 cm x 68 cm undisturbed and disturbed soil columns. Results indicated that biomass yield of maize decreased with an increase in ECiw from 0.65 to 7.35 dS m-1 at coded “0” levels of SARiw and RSC in undisturbed soil. The maize tolerated ECiw up to 2.0 dS m-1 at coded “0” levels of SARiw and RSC in disturbed soil. The SARiw up to 18.0 did not affect the yield of crop at coded “0” levels of ECiw (4.0 dS m-1) and RSC (4.0 mmolc L-1) in both soil conditions. The RSC up to 2.0 and 4.0 mmolc L-1 did not affect the yield at coded “0” levels of SARiw and ECiw for the undisturbed and disturbed soils, respectively. The increase in HC was 48% in undisturbed and 54% in disturbed soils with ECiw 7.35 dS m-1 over ECiw 0.65 dS m-1 coded “0” levels of ECiw and RSC. The HC decreased with SARiw and RSC at coded “0” levels of ECiw and RSC; ECiw and SARiw in both the soil columns.