Growth Response of Crops to Depth and Salinity of Ground Water, and Soil Submergence. I. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
1974
Chaudhary, T. N. | Bhatnagar, V. K. | Prihar, S. S.
Information on crop response to depth and salinity of ground water and soil submergence is important for planning drainage and optimizing crop production. Response of a semidwarf wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to four depths (60, 90, 120, and 150 cm) and three salinities (EC 0.5, 2.9, and 5.2 mmho/cm) of ground water was studied in lysimeters filled with silt loam soil during 1970–71 and 1971–72. The plants were irrigated with water of EC 0.5 mmho/cm when the lysimeters with a 150-cm water table depth indicated a tension of 0.5 bar at a 75-cm depth. Ground water of EC 0.5 mmho/cm at 60 and 90-cm depths gave highest yields. Comparable increase in the salinity of ground water caused greater reduction in yield with shallow water tables than with deep water tables. It is indicated that critical depth of ground water, for optimum crop production, would vary in relation to its salinity. Growth and yield response of wheat to soil submergence was investigated in another set of lysimeters with water table at 60 cm. Soil submergence up to 2 days did not affect growth. It decreased yield gradually up to 5 days and sharply thereafter. Prolonged soil submergence reduced protein content in the grain as indexed by N content. To ensure optimum grain quality and production, excess water must be drained from the root zone within 3 days of submergence.
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