Modeling Irrigation of Tomatoes with Saline Water in Semi-Arid Conditions Using Hydrus-1D

Sabri Kanzari, Jiří Šimůnek (), Issam Daghari, Anis Younes, Khouloud Ben Ali, Sana Ben Mariem and Samir Ghannem
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Sabri Kanzari: National Institute of Rural Engineering, Waters, and Forestry, University of Carthage, Ariana 2080, Tunisia
Jiří Šimůnek: Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92507, USA
Issam Daghari: National Institute of Agronomy, University of Carthage, Tunis 1082, Tunisia
Anis Younes: Institut Terre et Environnement de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, ENGEES, UMR 7063, 67084 Strasbourg, France
Khouloud Ben Ali: National Institute of Rural Engineering, Waters, and Forestry, University of Carthage, Ariana 2080, Tunisia
Sana Ben Mariem: National Institute of Rural Engineering, Waters, and Forestry, University of Carthage, Ariana 2080, Tunisia
Samir Ghannem: National Institute of Rural Engineering, Waters, and Forestry, University of Carthage, Ariana 2080, Tunisia

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 6, 1-16

Abstract: In arid and semi-arid regions like Tunisia, irrigation water is typically saline, posing a risk of soil and crop salinization and yield reduction. This research aims to study the combined effects of soil matric and osmotic potential stresses on tomato root water uptake. Plants were grown in pot and field experiments in loamy-clay soils and were irrigated with three different irrigation water qualities: 0, 3.5, and 7 dS/m. The Hydrus-1D model was used to simulate the combined dynamics of subsurface soil water and salts. Successful calibration and validation of the model against measured water and salt profiles enabled the examination of the combined effects of osmotic and matric potential stresses on root water uptake. Relative yields, indirectly estimated from actual and potential transpiration, indicated that the multiplicative stress response model effectively simulated the measured yields and the impact of saline water irrigation on crop yields. The experimental and modeling results provide information to aid in determining the salinity levels conducive to optimal crop growth. The findings indicate that the selected salinity levels affect tomato growth to varying degrees. Specifically, the salinity levels conducive to optimal tomato growth were between 0 and 3.5 dS/m, with a significant growth reduction above this salinity level. The gradual salinization of the root zone further evidenced this effect. The scenario considering a temperature increase of 2 °C had no significant impact on crop yields in the pot and field experiments.

Keywords: soil; saline water supply; irrigation; tomato; Hydrus-1D; Tunisia (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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