Trade-offs of saline irrigation on crop productivity across China: A meta-analysis

Zhenjiang Jia, Yangyang Wu, Wangcheng Li, Zixuan Jia, Yahao Huang, Haowen Xu, Guangxing Zhao and Xiaocui Yao

Agricultural Water Management, 2025, vol. 318, issue C

Abstract: Saline water irrigation has been widely recognized as a promising agricultural management strategy to mitigate freshwater scarcity in China. Yet, the consensus on its impacts on crop productivity remains elusive due to the significant heterogeneity in experimental conditions and influencing factors. This study therefore conducted a meta-analysis synthesizing 78 publications comprising 1682 paired field observations in China to reveal the differential responses of crop yield, water productivity (WP), and irrigation water productivity (IWP) to saline water irrigation at a regional scale, focusing specifically on soil and water properties, agronomic management practices, and environmental variables. Results showed that saline water irrigation significantly reduced crop yield (15.81 %), WP (7.85 %), and IWP (14.65 %) within China compared to freshwater irrigation. All three indicators exhibited pronounced sensitivity to both irrigation water quality and site-specific conditions. Implemented agronomic optimizations could effectively alleviate the adverse impacts induced by saline water irrigation practices. Both random forest and structural equation modeling demonstrated that crop productivity was co-determined by irrigation water parameters, initial soil attributes, cultivation practices, and regional environments. Therefore, we recommend using of neutral, low-quality brackish water for short-term irrigation combined with cultivating cash crops in low-density, medium-textured, low-salinity neutral soils with high organic matter content, integrated with management practices comprising chemical fertilization, conventional irrigation, and surface mulching. This integrated approach demonstrates enhanced potential for simultaneously maintaining yield, WP and IWP, particularly in semi-humid regions with deep groundwater tables. Our findings underscore the importance of location-specific optimization of agricultural management practices for the application of saline water irrigation in China.

Keywords: Saline water; Crop productivity; Field management; Influencing factors; Meta-analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:318:y:2025:i:c:s0378377425004044

DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2025.109690

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