Salt water dynamics under point source of drip irrigation-A Review

The shrinking fresh water resources have motivated many researchers to investigate and evaluate the use of poor quality saline water using improved irrigation techniques such as drip irrigation. Saline water application through a point drip source in the root zone adversely impact the crop due to accumulated salts. The shape of wetted soil volume has remained of great interest since the advent of drip irrigation. The accumulation of the salts is mostly found towards the outer wetted zone, the knowledge of the actual shape and size in case of a point source of drip irrigation has remained a matter of concern to researchers for the purpose of design and operation of this irrigation system could be further refined. An attempt has been made in this paper to review the works conducted and reported worldwide and specially in India to monitor and evaluate the wetting front and salt movement within it under a point source of drip irrigation. This review can guide a definite methodology to evaluate salt accumulation and its impact on crop growth as well as its mathematical modelling.