Effect of Depth and Composition of Underground Water and Mulching on Salt Accumulation and Yield of Maize and Wheat

In an experiment carried out in lysimeters the effect of quality and depth of underground water and rice husk mulch on the growth of maize and wheat was studied. There was a gradual reduction in grain and straw yield of maize with decrease in depth of water table for non-saline underground water without mulching and a reverse trend was observed with saline underground water. Maximum yield of wheat was obtained at 100 and 150 cm water table depths for non-saline and saline underground waters, respectively. Accumulation of salts in the surface soil layer was significantly higher for saline than for non-saline ground water treatment. An increase in the utilization of ground water with successive growth stages of these crops was observed. Mulching caused a significant decrease in ground water utilization which was significantly higher from non-saline than from saline water.