Abstract
Tube well water quality is the major contributing factor towards the low yield of crops in Pakistan, as it is not fit for irrigation in most of the areas. This is a survey study in which100 water samples collected from farmer’s tube wells were evaluated for their quality characteristics. The data depicted the average values of ECiw, SARiw and RSCiw corresponding to 1.93 ± 0.67 dS m-1, 12.2 ± 65.00 (mmol L-1) 0.5 and 3.6±1.96 mmol L-1, respectively. The range values noted for different water quality indications were 0.78 ≥ ECiw < 3.12 dS m-1, 2.57 ≥ SARiw ≥ 23.98 (mmole L-1) 0.5 and 0.10 ≥ RSCiw < 7.10 mmole L-1. Within the conventional water quality indicators a significant correlation was found between SARiw and ECiw (r=0.84**) showing that SARiw is a function of total salinity in irrigation water. However, RSCiw and ECiw were not significantly correlated (r=0.32). The significant correlation coefficients showed an increase in SAR and EC of soil with the use of irrigation water of high ECiw and SAR. The wheat yield harvested from the fields irrigated with tube well water was found to be more affected by the sodicity compared with salinity of water, each having corresponding values of 2.08 ≥ SAR < 22.38 (mmole-1) 0.5 and 1.03 ≥ ECe ≤ 4.31dS m-1. A statistically justified model (R2 =0.934) Y = 8317[ECe] 0.177[ECiw] 0.883 / [SARiw] 0.396[SARs] 0.416 [RSCiw] 0.382 was developed to predict wheat yield trend under a given set of soil and water characteristics. It was concluded that subsoil water of the region is of poor quality and should not be exploited by the farmers through private tube wells. Its injudicious use would salinize or sodicate the soils.
A. Hannan1, M. Ahmad2, A. Niaz 3, L. Ali4, T. Waheed5. (2010) Ground water quality characterization and its correlation with wheat yield, The Journal Soil & Environment , Volume 29, Issue 2.
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