Can I substitute poor-quality, salty water for low-salinity irrigation water as an alternative to limited or deficit irrigation?
The answer to this question is: ‘it depends’ – on what crop is being irrigated and its salt tolerance, how much has the crop been irrigated and with what quality of water before the ‘salty’ event, what are the assurances, amount, quality and timing of the next irrigation event, what is the growth stage of the crop being irrigated, what type of soil is the crop being grown on, what are the predicted or forecast weather conditions in the near future. In short – a relatively mature, salt-tolerant, perennial crop, grown on a deep, well-drained soil, with assurances of a good supply of comparatively salt-free water in the near future, could be irrigated with a relatively ‘salty’ water supply, if there was sufficient water and management to assure good leaching during the irrigation event. However, under most irrigated conditions, the answer to this question would likely be NO!
Related Questions
- Can I substitute poor-quality, salty water for low-salinity irrigation water as an alternative to limited or deficit irrigation?
- Practically, or in reality, how much water can I conserve by practicing limited or deficit irrigation?
- What is a reasonable expectation of different crop responses to limited or deficit irrigation?
