Effects of irrigation and fertilizer levels on the distribution of water and salt in saline field and maize yield

doi:10.13287/j.1001-9332.201904.039

Abstract

Abstract: Agriculture development in arid and semi-arid saline areas is seriously affected by water resources scarcity and excessive fertilization. Understanding the effects of different irrigation and fertilization levels on soil water and salt distribution and silage maize yield would provide scientific basis for determining appropriate irrigation and fertilization amount. The experiment was carried out in a saline field of the Datong Basin in 2015 and 2016. There were three irrigation levels, with the upper limit of soil moisture being controlled at 100% (W₁), 90% (W₂) and 80% (W₃) of the field water capacity. Irrigation amount was calculated based on the average actual water content before irrigation of each treatment. There were four fertilization levels in 2015, 900 kg·hm^-2 (F₁), 750 kg·hm^-2 (F₂), 600 kg·hm^-2(F₃), and 450 kg·hm^-2(F₄), and three levels in 2016 (F₁, F₂, and F₃). The total nutrient content of the slow-release compound fertilizer was 48%, with a 30:12:6 ratio of N:P₂O₅:K₂O. Results showed that the surface conductivity of soil increased with the increases of fertilizer application levels. The effects of fertilization on soil salinity in 0-10 cm was significant. Compared with F₁, the average EC of F₂ in 0-10 cm was decreased by 25.6%-42.7% in 2015 and by 6.4%-7.7% in 2016, respectively. The water content in 20-80 cm decreased with the increases of fertilizer application levels. Compared with F₁, the average soil water content in 20-80 cm soil layer of F₂, F₃, and F₄ increased by 5.9%, 16.7% and 16.7% in 2015, and that of F₂ and F₃ increased by 13.3% and 16.7% in 2016, respectively. The yield of F₁ and F₂ was higher than that of F₃ and F₄, and W₃ was lower than W₁ and W₂ in both years. There was no significant difference in yield between F₁ and F₂. Compared with W₁, decrease in yield of W₂ was less than 15%. Therefore, the application of compound fertilizer 600-750 kg·hm^-2(nitrogen content 180-270 kg·hm^-2), and irrigation levels W₁ and W₂ were suggested to ensure high yield of forage maize in saline soil in this area, without salt accumulation in root zone.

Key words: soil water, irrigation, fertilizer amount, electrical conductivity, yield

JIANG Jing, ZHAI Deng-pan, ZHANG Chao-bo. Effects of irrigation and fertilizer levels on the distribution of water and salt in saline field and maize yield[J]. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology, 2019, 30(4): 1207-1217.

References

[1] Wang J-L (王佳丽), Huang X-J (黄贤金), Zhong T-Y (钟太洋), et al. Review on sustainable utilization of salt-affected land. Acta Geographica Sinica (地理学报), 2011, 66(5): 673-684 (in Chinese)
[2] Yan J-W (闫建文). Study on the Water and Nitrogen Migration Regularity and Efficient Utilization of Maize in the Salinity Soil. PhD Thesis. Huhhot: Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, 2014 (in Chinese)
[3] Ahmad R, Jabeen N. Demonstration of crop improvement in sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) by the use of organic fertilizers under saline conditions. Pakistan Journal of Botany, 2009, 41: 1373-1384
[4] Albassam BA. Effect of nitrate nutrition on growth and nitrogen assimilation of pearl millet exposed to sodium chloride stress. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 2001, 24: 1325-1335
[5] Min W, Hou Z, Ma LJ. Effects of water salinity and N application rate on water- and N-use efficiency of cotton under drip irrigation. Journal of Arid Land, 2014, 6: 454-467
[6] Yan J-W (闫建文), Shi H-B (史海滨). Effect of nitrogen fertilizer on yield of wheat and soil moisture and salinity of different salinity soils. Journal of Irrigation and Drainage (灌溉排水学报), 2014, 3(4/5): 50-53 (in Chinese)
[7] Hou Z-A (侯振安), Li P-F (李品芳), Lyu X (吕新), et al. Distributions of water, salinity, and nitrogen in cotton root zone by different fertigation strategies. Scientia Agricultura Sinica (中国农业科学), 2007, 40(3): 549-557 (in Chinese)
[8] Magdalena VC, April LU, Ernesto AC. Salinity and nitrogen rate effects on the growth and yield of chile pepper plant. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 2003, 67: 1781-1789
[9] Chen W, Hou Z, Wu L, et al. Effects of salinity and nitrogen on cotton growth in arid environment. Plant and Soil, 2010, 326: 61-73
[10] Zeng W-Z (曾文治), Xu C (徐驰), Huang J-S (黄介生), et al. Interactive effect of salinity and nitrogen application on sunflower growth. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering (农业工程学报), 2014, 30(3): 86-94 (in Chinese)
[11] Zhang DM, Li WJ, Xin CS, et al. Lint yield and nitrogen use efficiency of field-grown cotton vary with soil salinity and nitrogen application rate. Field Crops Research, 2012, 138: 63-70
[12] Fang D-P (方栋平), Zhang F-C (张富仓), Li J (李静), et al. Effects of irrigation amount and various fertigation methods on yield and quality of cucumber in greenhouse. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology (应用生态学报), 2015, 26(6): 1735-1742 (in Chinese)
[13] Wang B (王斌), Zhang Q (张强). Huang G-J (黄高鉴), et al. Study on high yield cultivation techniques of maize in inland soda-saline-alkali soil in Datong Basin. Modern Agricultural Science and Technology (现代农业科技), 2014(23): 9-11 (in Chinese)
[14] Li L (李磊), Zhang Q (张强), Feng Y-C (冯悦晨), et al. All-film double-furrow sowing improving water and salt conditions and increasing maize yield in saline soil of cold and arid area. Transactions of the Chinese Society of Agricultural Engineering (农业工程学报), 2016, 32(5): 96-103 (in Chinese)
[15] Sun Y (孙杨). Study on the Regulation of Water and Salt Transport for Saline and Sodic Soil under Drip Irrigation in Datong Basin. PhD Thesis. Taiyuan: Taiyuan University of Technology, 2016 (in Chinese)
[16] Su L-T (苏里坦), Anbudu S-L-M (阿不都·沙拉木), Song Y-D (宋郁东). Effects of drip irrigation volume on soil water-salt transfer and its redistribution. Arid Zone Research (干旱区研究), 2011, 28(1): 79-84 (in Chinese)
[17] Zhang J-P (张俊鹏), Feng L (冯棣), Cao C-Y (曹彩云), et al. Effects of saline water irrigation on water consumption characteristics and water use efficiency of cotton. Transactions of the Chinese Society for Agricultural Machinery (农业机械学报), 2016, 47(6): 107-112 (in Chinese)
[18] Ji Q-Y (季泉毅), Feng S-Y (冯绍元), Yuan C-F (袁成福), et al. Influences of saline water irrigation on soil physical properties in Shiyang River Basin. Journal of Drainage and Irrigation Machinery Engineering (排灌机械工程学报), 2014, 32(9): 802-807 (in Chinese)
[19] Wang Q-J (王全九), Shan Y-Y (单鱼洋). Review of research development on water and soil regulation with brackish water irrigation. Transactions of the Chinese Society for Agricultural Machinery (农业机械学报), 2015, 46(12): 117-126 (in Chinese)
[20] Jiang J, Feng SY, Ma JJ, et al. Irrigation management for spring maize grown on saline soil based on SWAP model. Field Crops Research, 2016, 196: 85-97
[21] Li X-G (李小刚), Cao J (曹靖), Li F-M (李凤民). Influence of salinity, sodicity and organic matter on some physical properties of salt-affected soils. Chinese Journal of Soil Science (土壤通报), 2004, 35(1): 64-72 (in Chinese)
[22] Liu J-M (刘晶淼), An S-Q (安顺清), Liao R-W (廖荣伟), et al. Temporal variation and spatial distribution of the root system of corn in a soil profile. Chinese Journal of Eco-Agriculture (中国生态农业学报), 2009, 17(3): 517-521 (in Chinese)
[23] Tuna AL, Kayab C, Ashraf M, et al. The effects of calcium sulphate on growth, membrane stability and nutrient uptake of tomato plants grown under salt stress. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 2007, 59: 173-178
[24] Ashraf M. Salt tolerance of cotton: Some new advances. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences, 2002, 21: 1-30
[25] Homaee M, Feddes RA, Dirksen C. A macroscopic water extraction model for nonuniform transient salinity and water stress. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 2002, 66: 1764-1772
[26] Dai J-L (代建龙), Lu H-Q (卢合全), Li Z-H (李振怀), et al. Effects of fertilization on cotton growth and nitrogen use efficiency under salinity stress. Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology (应用生态学报), 2013, 24(12): 3453-3458 (in Chinese)