Management of irrigation with saline/sodic waters in clay soils susceptible to degradation.

摘要

This paper shows the influence of bypass flow, occurring in cracking soils and enhanced by high values of the Exchangeable Sodium Percentage (ESP), on water balance and on irrigation efficiency. The use of the FLOCR model made it possible to quantify the influence of an increasing soil sodicity on the occurrence of bypass flow, also proving that bypass flow may affect water distribution, decreasing the irrigation efficiency. Irrigation methods based on use of low water application rates should be used to improve the efficiency of irrigation and/or of salt/leaching in clay soils susceptible to cracking and bypass flow.