Saline Water Impact on Water Use Efficiency of Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia L) Using Drip Irrigation

Abstract

Water shortage is a real problem in many parts of the world and finding alternative solutions such as the application of saline water in cropping systems is highly appreciated. Research on drip irrigation and soil salinity is still inadequate, and their effect on crop yield and water use efficiency (WUE) is a huge challenge for small farmers. The present study was conducted in Malir, a semiarid region in the Sindh province of Pakistan. The purpose was to estimate the effects of two different qualities of irrigation water including fresh quality water (IT1 0.56 dS m−1) and saline groundwater (IT2 2.89 dS m−1) on WUE using drip irrigation technology in 2018–19. The experimental design was complete randomized block design (RCBD) with two treatments of irrigation: (1) freshwater (IT1) with 0.56 dS m−1 electrical conductivity and (2) saline water (IT2) with 2.89 dS m−1 electrical conductivity. The average biomass and crop yield under IT1 were 10.2 t.ha−1 and 7.4 t.ha−1, respectively, and were found higher than those under IT2 (7.3 t−1 and 4.2 t.ha−1, respectively). Hence, both the treatments remained equally effective in season 1 as compared to season 2 (p≤0.05). The WUE of bitter melon under IT1 was 1.60 and 1.56 kg.m−3 in seasons 1 and 2, respectively, and was higher than those under IT2 which were observed 1.21 and 1.07 kg.m−3 in seasons 1 and 2, respectively.