3 research outputs found
Water management practices can affect salinity in rice fields
Water management practices in California rice production can affect salinity in the
field. This is particularly important because rice is one of the most sensitive crops
to salinity. We extensively monitored salinity patterns in dozens of rice fields in
Colusa and Glenn counties, in order to determine how salinity varies from basin to
basin and to compare salinity patterns under different irrigation systems. We found
that the fields most vulnerable to salinity damage were those with higher soil salinity
and using irrigation water sources initially high in salinity, particularly nondistrict
sources that are combinations of well and drain water. Long water holding periods,
while effective in reducing pesticide concentrations in rice fields, can contribute
to salinity increases in bottom basins. Salinity can increase with either conventional
or static irrigation management systems, but the salinity pattern in the field will
be different