Soil Salinity and Economic Analysis of Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.) Production using the Drip Irrigation Method
Soil Salinity and Economic Analysis of Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.) Production using the Drip Irrigation Method
Kamran Baksh Soomro1*, Sina Alaghmand2, Sanyogita Andriyas3, Muhammad Rehmatullah Khan4, Naveedullah5 and Amin Talei6
ABSTRACT
Due to the unavailability of fresh water for agriculture, the use of saline water often emerges as an alternate source of irrigation. However, one hardly knows the economic implications of such recommendations. In this regard, the effect of saline irrigation on the economics of crop yield deserves scientific inquiry. A field experiment was conducted during 2018-19 to study the impact of saline water on the economics of bitter gourd yield and soil salinity after the end of the crop. Two irrigation treatments including freshwater (IT1 EC 0.56 dS.m-1; control condition) and saline groundwater (IT2 EC 2.56 dS.m-1; experimental condition), in two consecutive seasons, were used under the drip system of irrigation. The crop yield in season 1, found under IT1 and IT2,were 11,337.3 and7764.4 kg.ha-1, respectively, without any salt accumulation in the wetted zone in both scenarios. Nevertheless, salts deposited at the wetted periphery at all three sampling depths, under both irrigation treatments, after the crop end. The benefit-cost Ratio (BCR) per hectare in season 1 was 1.90 and 1.69 under IT1 and IT2, respectively. While for season 2, the BCR was 1.89 and 1.59 under IT1 and IT2,respectively. In terms of crop yield, overall, IT1 showed better results as compared to IT2 irrigation treatments.
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June 2021
Vol. 37, Iss. 2, Pages 331-713
