Harnessing sodic groundwater for sustainability in rice (Oryza sativa) – wheat(Triticum aestivum) cropping system

BABU LAL MEENA; RAM KISHOR FAGODIYA; AWTAR  SINGH; BHASKAR NARJARY; M J KALEDHONKAR; PARVENDER  SHEORAN; SATYENDRA KUMAR; R K YADAV

doi:10.56093/ijas.v96i5.175436

Authors

BABU LAL MEENA ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001, India
RAM KISHOR FAGODIYA ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001, India
AWTAR SINGH ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001, India
BHASKAR NARJARY ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001, India
M J KALEDHONKAR ICAR-Indian Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Research Centre, Vasad, Gujrat 388 306, India
PARVENDER SHEORAN ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Ludhiana, Punjab 141 004, India
SATYENDRA KUMAR ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001, India
R K YADAV ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana 132 001, India

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v96i5.175436

Keywords:

Direct seeded rice, Drip -irrigation, Gypsum application, Poor-quality water

Abstract

High-input intensive agriculture and excessive use of flood irrigation has led to declining groundwater level and accumulation of sodium salts, leading to deteriorating water quality, soil organic matter and nutrient availability. Therefore, a three-year field experiment (2020–2023) was conducted to evaluate the judicious use of sodic groundwater through drip irrigation, gypsum, and mulch in a rice (Oryza sativa L.)–wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system at Budhmor village, Patiala district, Punjab. The study followed a split-split plot design with three irrigation regimes (through drip, and conventional flood), three gypsum levels (0, 25, and 50% gypsum), and two mulch treatments (with and without crop residue). Drip irrigation significantly reduced soil pH compared to flood irrigation due to enhanced leaching of soluble sodium. Gypsum application further lowered soil pH and improved organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium availability. The interaction between drip irrigation and gypsum (I1G3) produced the highest soil organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Wheat yield increased from 29.94 q/ha under flood irrigation to 48.26 q/ha under I1G3 while direct-seeded rice yield was 30.80 q/ha under similar conditions. Gypsum significantly improved chlorophyll content in both crops, indicating enhanced physiological performance. Mulching had positive but non-significant effects on most parameters. Overall, the integrated use of drip irrigation at 80% ETc for wheat and 150% ETc for rice with 50% gypsum requirement was found most effective in mitigating sodicity, improving soil fertility, and sustaining crop productivity under sodic groundwater irrigation in the Indo-Gangetic plains.

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