Salinity accumulation in the root zones of cucumber under drip irrigation practices

With partial root zones drying (PRD) technique, irrigation water is applied to one half of the plant root and leaving the other half dry.
On the other hand, the water used for irrigation purposes is never found pure in nature.
For example, irrigation water contains even small amount of some dissolved components.
In addition, some salt accumulation will be formed in the soil as a result of fertilizer applications.
This issue can be experienced more likely in the greenhouse production areas where intensive agriculture activities are being made.
In this research discussed in this context, the possible salt accumulation in the root zone of cucumber plant was investigated.
Irrigation treatments were tested with drip irrigation method.
Seven irrigation treatments were used which contains different irrigation application techniques and water levels (FULL, DF75%, APRD75%, FPRD75%, DF50%, APRD50% and FPRD50%). Soil samples were collected at the beginning and at the end of the season from the root zone of the plant and from different depths for determine salinity.
Soil saturation extracts were obtained from soil samples in the laboratory.
And, the soil samples were analyzed for electrical conductivity (EC, dS m^-1) of the soil saturation extracts.
Salinity increase rate was measured 1.4 folds under the FULL, 1.7 folds under the DF75%, 1.2 folds under the APRD75%, 1.7 folds under the FPRD75%, 0.8 folds under the DF50%, 1.3 folds under the APRD50% and 1.0 folds under the FPRD50% at the end of the season compared to the beginning.
In spite of having the same amount of irrigation water, APRD75% had a less level of salt accumulation than DF75% and FPRD75% treatments.

VI Balkan Symposium on Vegetables and Potatoes

H. Kaman, Ö. Özbek

partial root drying, deficit irrigation, water stress, salinity threshold

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1142.12