Soil salt balance and simulation in a high efficiency film-mulched drip
irrigation and subsurface pipe drainage system
Abstract
Soil salinisation is vital factor limited crop yield in dryland oasis
cropland. A film-mulched drip irrigation and subsurface pipe drainage
(MDI-SPD) system has been proved its high efficiency all over the world.
However, soil salt balance and simulation in time and spatial dimension
are unclear in this system. Based on four-year observation data, we use
HYDRUS-2D model to simulate the soil salt balance in a MDI-SPD system in
western China. We conducted a set of MDI-SPD experiments three times in
a field in Manas River Basin, western China: The laying depth of the
subsurface pipe was 1 m, and drain spacing was 15 m. Three treatments
were set at 0, 5, and 7.5 m horizontal from the subsurface pipe. Results
after four years indicated that the total salt output in the irrigated
area was 260.16 t, with 103.4 t salt drained by the subsurface pipe
(39.74% of the total salt output in the irrigation area). Soil salt
balance indicated desalination state. Soil EC response ranged from 8.33
to 11.21 dS m-1. The mineralization of subsurface pipe drainage was
positively correlated with drainage flow and salt discharge, and
negatively correlated with drainage discharges and time
(P<0.05). If salinity leaching stops, 0−200 cm depth soil salt
balance will achieve critical value in 8 years. Thus, we recommend
salinity leaching once every three years. An increase in shaft drainage
would also reduce the deep seepage of salt.