Conjunctive Use of Saline Ground Water and Surface Water in Indian Mustard on Salt-affected Black Soils

Field experiments on the conjunctive use of saline ground water and surface water in cyclic mode and mixing mode were conducted with Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea) on salt-affected black soils during 1997–98 and 1998–99. The results on the experiments on cyclic and mixing mode indicate that application of three irrigations with waters of EC 4 dS m⁻¹ resulted in the drastic reduction in the yield over control in the saline black soils. However, application of two saline irrigations and one irrigation of best available water (BAW) in rotation increased the yield significantly over three saline irrigations. The flowering and pod formation were the critical stages with reference to saline water irrigation. Again application of one saline irrigation at branching stage with two BAW gave yields at par with that of three irrigations with BAW. Application of saline water reduced net soil salinity and alkalinity of saline black soils with mustard crop under high ground water table situation as compared to fallow land.