February 2016 Vol. 4 No.2

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El-Ghannam MK
Gendy AA

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Original Research Article

Controlled drainage effects on nitrate leaching, salinity buildup and sugar beet production (Egypt)

El-Ghannam M.K.^1*, M. E. Abo Waly², S. A. Gaheen², F. F. Karajeh³ and A. A. Gendy¹

¹Soils, Water and Environment Res. Inst., Agric. Res. Center. Egypt.
²Dept. Soil Sci., Fac. Agric., Kafr EL-Sheikh Univ, Egypt
³Food and agriculture organization, Cairo office, FAO

*Corresponding Author's E-mail: elghnam_mkh@yahoo.com

Accepted February 03, 2016

Abstract

Subsurface tile drainage has been effective in draining croplands. Detailed controlled studies were undertaken in order to understand the salt dynamics under rice and associated crops and their impact on soil and drainage water quality. This includes the influence of different crop rotations, farm practices, and subsurface drainage status on salt build-up. An on-farm study was conducted to determine the influence of controlled drainage on salinity build up though soil profile, nitrogen losses, drain discharge and crop productivity. A farm was divided into five 2.5 ha plots and planted sugar beet. One of the plots had a free tile drainage system at 1.20 m depth, and others plots were installed with a controlled drainage system at 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1 m. The objectives of study were to determine the effect of controlled drainage on salinity build up and losses of nitrogen. Results indicated that the soil salinity values for the shallower water table depth at 40cm were nearly two times the salinity values of the deepest layers compared to the values in the top layers. It can be seen that, the controlled drainage resulted in significantly less drainage than allowing free drainage. The controlled drains only flowed between 24-48 hours for with first treatment 40 cm depth of water table, while the discharge from the free drainage treatment occurred for over 192 hours. Flow weighted mean NO⁻₃ concentration of tile drainage water was reduced 44.5% from 37.83 kg fed⁻¹ for the 120 cm free drainage treatment to 20.99 kg fed-1 for the controlled drainage at 40 cm depth of water table treatment in 2013 season under sugar beet crop. In the second season, the average annual NO−3 loss was reduced 51.94 % from 33.79 kg fed⁻¹ for the 120cm treatment to 16.15 kg fed⁻¹ for the CD at 40 cm treatment. The area of influence indicated a controlled drainage yield advantage of 24.4 and 30 % for 2013 and 2014 season, respectively. The greater yield advantage from this method compared to the free drainage, this suggests that this practice could generate more profit than free drainage fields.

Keywords: Controlled drainage, Drain discharge, Nile Delta, NO⁻₃ concentration crop productivity, Water table