Impact of the Saline Irrigation Water on Crop Production

Abstract An experimental study was carried out on the experimental field in Baghdad during the spring season of 2018 to investigate the effects of water quality and irrigation method on yield of maize crop. To this end, two types of water quality were investigated i.e. fresh water, and highly saline water (6.46 dS/m). Besides, the alternating irrigation method were adopted to analyze the possible enhancements of Maize crop production through two irrigate of fresh water followed by one irrigate of highly saline water. These different types of water quality were irrigated by using two irrigation system (drip and furrow). The gross area of the field is 1000 m2 divided into 24 plots, with an area of 9 m2 for each plot and distant of 2 m between each adjacent plots. The fresh water and highly saline water with alternating irrigation method were applied during planting season of 2018. Maize yield measurements were taken for each replicate. Results indicated that, the plots which were irrigated with fresh water gave the highest yield compared with the plots irrigated by the saline water. Statistical analysis and the linear equations showed a significant correlation between yield reduction and increasing water salinity levels. Also, the results show significant differences in yield reduction between the different irrigated water under the two irrigation systems, where furrow irrigation system gave maize yield reduction more than drip irrigation system.