Salt Balance Studies in Saline Water Irrigated Soils

Salt balance studies of the soils irrigated with saline water (EC 2.7 to 12 mmhos/cm) in four different crop sequences have shown seasonal cyclic changes in salinity, exchangeable sodium and ionic composition. Salt concentration increased during irrigation cycle, whereas, monsoon rain preverted salt accumulation in the surface layers. High salinity of the irrigation water lowered the evapo transpiration (ET) but increased the leaching fraction (LF) of irrigation water and modified the ionic composition. Irrigation depth, salt concentration and leaching fraction governed the salt accumulation in soil. Only 23–27% of the added salts of sodium and chloride accumulated in the soil and the rest got leached down during crop season itself. Frequent irrigations with saline water were conducive for higher values of ET and LF and to lower the salinity and ESP levels of the soil, thereby resulting in higher yields of different crops.