On-farm water management in saline groundwater area under scarce canal water supply condition in the Northwest India

The study investigates the possibility of enhancing crop water productivity in the parts of Northwest India where groundwater quality is marginal and canal water supply is severely scarce. Soil, Water, Atmosphere and Plant (SWAP) model was calibrated and validated in three farmers’ fields with varyi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Agricultural water management 2008-05, Vol.95 (5), p.516-526
Main Authors: Mandare, A.B., Ambast, S.K., Tyagi, N.K., Singh, J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agricultural and forest climatology and meteorology. Irrigation. Drainage
Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions
Bhakra canal system
Biological and medical sciences
Conjunctive water use
crop yield
farms
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General agronomy. Plant production
groundwater
hydrologic models
irrigation canals
irrigation scheduling
Irrigation. Drainage
mathematical models
model validation
On-farm water management
plant available water
Saline groundwater
saline water
simulation models
soil properties
Soil salinity
water management
water quality
water quantity
Wheat productivity
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Summary:The study investigates the possibility of enhancing crop water productivity in the parts of Northwest India where groundwater quality is marginal and canal water supply is severely scarce. Soil, Water, Atmosphere and Plant (SWAP) model was calibrated and validated in three farmers’ fields with varying canal water availability and groundwater quality in the Kaithal Irrigation Circle of the Bhakra Canal system, Haryana. On the basis of predicted and observed soil water content, pressure heads, salt concentration at 2 week intervals and crop yields, the model was found suitable for use in the region. A few nomographs were prepared to provide a graphical method to predict the effect of different combinations of water quality and depth of water application on crop yield and soil salinity and to help develop some guidelines to the farming community. Water management alternatives at the field level were suggested to increase the yield and to maintain soil salinity below threshold level. The application of frequent irrigation in precisely leveled field would help in achieving 10% higher yield even when saline groundwater of 11 dS/m is used for irrigation.
ISSN:0378-3774
1873-2283
DOI:10.1016/j.agwat.2007.12.010