Assessment of suitability of irrigation canal water for agriculture: A study based on New Mutha Right Bank Canal waters from Pune, Maharashtra, India

摘要

Food security is the greatest priority, next to availability of drinking water, and hence agriculture is a dominant component of the global economy. Water is the most important input required for agricultural development and hence irrigation systems are seen to have found its roots in the history of mankind since earliest beginning as they help in reducing the uncertainties (particularly the climatic uncertainties) in agriculture practices. All water sources used in irrigation contain impurities and dissolved salts irrespective of whether they are surface or groundwater and hence precautions are warranted to follow proper irrigation practices in the agriculture. In the present study the water samples from the New Mutha Right Bank Canal in the Pune district of Maharashtra have been assessed for their suitability for the agricultural use. For this the canal water samples (7 samples) along with irrigation well water samples (5 samples) and drinking well water samples (2 samples) were analyzes for their chemical constituents. Using the chemical analysis data the Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR) values were computed to assess whether the canal water pose any threat to the crops. The results show that the all the canal water samples collected in May, September and November 2015 do not pose any threat to the vegetation, as the SAR values are well below 3.00. Although the water samples collected from the drinking water wells and irrigation wells, adjacent the canal, show variable SAR values they are also excellent for agricultural uses.