Study of Changes in Soil Moisture and Salinity Under PlasticMulch and Drip Irrigation in Pistachio Trees

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 Department of Agriculture, International Campus Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

2 Department of Water Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, Iran

3 Iranian pistachio Research Institute, Rafsanjan, Iran

Abstract

In this study, changes in soil moisture and salinity contents in drip irrigation combined with white and black plastic mulches compared to no mulch (control) was evaluated. The experiment was carried out in two commercial pistachio orchards (Ohadi cultivar) with irrigation frequencies of 8 to 12 days with a total water consumption 4100 and 6170 m3ha−1. The study was conducted in a complete randomized block design with three replicates from 2014-2015. Results showed that plastic mulches significantly affected the studied parameters, such as dry yield and water use productivity (WUP). The WUP in plastic mulch treatments increased from 36% to 100% compared to the control. On the other hand, soil moisture content in plastic mulches were up to 12% higher than control in irrigation intervals in both orchards. Moisture content equations between two consecutive irrigations obtained in depth of the maximum root development (25 to 75cm). Proper irrigation frequency in pistachio trees with sandy loam to loamy sand soil was determined based on the derived equations and PWP and RAW in soil experimental plots. The frequency was six to eight days in the case of no mulch, and in the use of plastic mulch, it was 11 to 15 days. The results showed that the use of plastic mulch decreased the soil surface salinity from 30.8% to 51.8% compared to the control. The amount of water consumption, irrigation frequency, soil texture and sampling points affected the soil surface salinity. The average salinity of 0-120cm soil depth was reduced from 20.4% to 27.7% compared to the no mulch treatment. The mulch color did not have a significant effect on any of the parameters.

Keywords

References

Afshar H, Sadrghaen SH, Mehrabadi HR (2013) Evaluation of application of plastic mulch on water used and seed cotton yield. Journal of Water and Soil. 26(6), 1421-1427.[In Persian].
Alipour H, Hosseinifard SJ (2007) Diagnosis and supperession of the nutrient deficiency in pistachio. Iranian Pistachio Research Institute. 53 Pages.[In Persian].
Alizadeh A (2003) Irrigation Systems Design. (5th Edition Revised), Imam Reza University Publication. 552 pages. [In Persian].
Barajas-Guzmán MG, Campo J, Barradas VL (2006) Soil water, nutrient availability and sapling survival under organic and polyethylene mulch in a seasonally dry tropical forest. Plant and Soil. 287(1-2), 347-357.
Bezborodov GA, Shadmanov DK, Mirhashimov RT, Yuldashev T, Qureshi AS, Noble AD, Qadir M (2010) Mulching and water quality
effects on soil salinity and sodicity dynamics and cotton productivity in central Asia.
Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment1. 38(1), 95-102.
Brainard DC, Bellinder RR (2004) Weed suppression in a broccoli-winter rye intercropping
system. Weed Science. 52, 281-290.
Burt CM, Mutziger A, Howes DJ, Solomon KH (2002) The effect of stubble and mulch on soil evaporation. irrigation training and research center bioresource and agricultural engineering department. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obis. CA 93407-805, 756-2433.
Danierhan S, Shalamu A, Tumaerbai H, Guan D (2013) Effects of emitter discharge rates on soil salinity distribution and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yield under drip irrigation with plastic mulch in an arid region of northwest China. Journal Arid Land. 5(1), 51−59.
Dinesh K, Nazeer A (2015) Effect of rain water harvesting and mulch material on soil moisture regimes, fertility status and yield of almond under rainfed conditions of north western Himalayas. Indian Journal of Horticulture. 72(2), 193-200.
Eslami A, Farzamnia M (2009) Effect of mulch material on increasing soil water holding capacity and pistachio yield. Iranian Journal of Irrigation and Drainage. 2(3), 79-87.[In Persian].
Fatemi H, Aroiuee H, Azizi M, Nemati H (2013). Influenced of quality of light reflected of colored mulch on cucurbita pepo var rada under field condition. International Journal of Agriculture: Research and Review. 3(2), 374-380.[In Persian].
Ghadiri A, Farokh A, Safarzadeh VM (2008) Study of kindof mulch efficiency in order to cutting sow bed cover in production of mulberry sapling. Journal of Pajouhesh & Sazadegi. 79, 18-25.[In Persian].
Hezhong D, Weijiang L, Wei T, Dongmei Z (2009) Early plastic mulching increases stand
establishment and lint yield of cotton in
saline Fields. Field Crops Research. 111, 269–275.
Jalota SK (1993) Evaporation through soil mulch in relation to characteristics and evaporativity. australian .Journal of Soil Research. 31(2), 131-136.
Jolaini M (2011) Investigation the effect of different water and Plastic Mulch Levels on Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Tomato in Surface and Subsurface Drip Irrigation Method. Journal of Water and Soil. 25(5), 1025-1032. [In Persian].
Kasirajan S, Ngouajio M (2012) Polyethylene and biodegradable mulches for agricultural
applications: a Review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 32(2), 501-529.
Kumar S, Dey P (2011) Effects of Different Mulches and Irrigation Methods on Root Growth, Nutrient Uptake, Water Use Efficiency and Yield of Strawberry. Scientia Horticulturae. 127(3), 318-324.
Mahadeen AY (2014) Effect of polyethylene black plastic mulch on growth and yield of two summer vegetable crops under rainfed
conditions under semi-arid region conditions. American Journal of Agricultural and Biological Sciences. 9(2), 202-207.
Moniruzzaman M, Mozumder SN, Islam MR (2007) Effect of mulching and pruning on yield and quality of pear. Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Research. 32(2), 225-233.
Pang H, Li Y, Yang J, Liang Y (2010) Effect of brackish water irrigation and straw mulching on soil salinity and crop yields under monsoonal climatic conditions. Agricultural
Water Management. 97, 1971–1977.
Taparauskiene L, Miseckaite O (2014) Effect of mulch on soil moisture depletion and strawberry yield in sub-humid area. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies. 23(2), 475-482.
Journal of Nuts
Volume 07, Issue 01
Spring 2016
Pages 21-33

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics