Irrigation Sciences and Engineering

Irrigation Sciences and Engineering

The Effect of Salinity of Irrigation Water and Application of Nitrogen on Resistance, Yield and Water Use Efficiency of Pomegranate

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
1 Assistant Professor Water Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zanjan University
2 Master Student, Water Engineering Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zanjan University
Abstract
     Excessive use of water for irrigation has lowered underground aquifers and has deteriorated the quality of underground water for irrigation causing agricultural production and water use efficiency to decrease. To study the effect of salinity of irrigation water and application of nitrogen on yield and water use efficiency of pomegranate a split plot experiment with 15 treatments and three replications was performed in city of Saveh in 1389. Treatments were factorial combinations of five levels of salinity (2, 4, 6 and 8 dS/m) for irrigation water and three rates (0, 150 and 300 g) of nitrogen for each tree. The salinity levels of irrigation water were located in main plots and nitrogen rates were considered as subplots using a randomized complete block design. The results showed that the salinity of irrigation water decreased plant yield when it was higher than 4 dS/m. When the salinity levels of irrigation water were less than 4 dS/m reduction in yield was not significant and this salinity level was considered as threshold salinity for pomegranate. At higher salinity levels the yield of pomegranate decreased at the rate of 3.3 percent per each unit of EC of irrigation water. Application of nitrogen increased plant yield at salinity levels lower than 4 dS/m but it decreased pomegranate yield when the salinity levels of irrigation water were higher than threshold salinity. The relative yield of pomegranate at different salinity levels was estimated by an equation and reported in this paper.
 
 
Keywords

  • Receive Date 24 October 2011
  • Revise Date 01 October 2014
  • Accept Date 06 February 2012
  • Publish Date 22 May 2013