Water Prod - Chap 05 15/7/03 10:14 am Page 69 5 Managing Saline and Alkaline Water for Higher Productivity N.K. Tyagi Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Haryana, India Abstract Two major approaches to improving and sustaining high agricultural productivity in a saline environ- ment involve: (i) modifying the environment to suit the available plants; and (ii) modifying the plants to suit the existing environment. They could be used separately or together to make possible the productive utilization of poor-quality water without compromising the sustainability of the production resource at different management levels. This chapter discusses the issues arising from the use of these approaches as related to the use of marginal-quality water, at both field and irrigation-system levels. The results are reviewed of field studies encompassing areas with low to moderate monsoonal rainfall (400–600mm), underlain by saline/alkaline water and supplemented with deficit canal-water supplies, sufficient only to meet 40–50% of irrigation requirements. Analysis of the results indicates that there are good possibilities of achieving reasonably high water productivity on a sustainable basis by appropriate technological interventions. Some important interventions that have been identified include in situ con- servation of rainwater in precisely levelled fields; blending saline/alkaline and fresh water to keep the resultant salinity below threshold or to achieve its amelioration; and, if residual sodium carbonate cannot be brought down to acceptable levels, dilution-blending or cyclic application and scheduling irrigation with salty water at less salt-sensitive stages. In high-water-table areas, provision of subsurface drainage facilitates the use of higher-salinity water, reducing the overall irrigation requirement. At higher levels of irrigation systems, it was found that water productivity in saline environments can be improved by a number of measures. These include reallocation of water to higher-value crops with a limited irrigation requirement, spatial reallocation and transfer of water-adopting polices that favour development of water markets and reducing mineralizing of fresh water by minimizing application and conveyance losses that find a path to saline aquifers. In spite of the technological advances that mitigate salinity damage and the likely economic advan- tages, there is always a need to exercise caution while practising irrigation with salty water for maintain- ing sustained productivity. Introduction strategies, is severely constrained by salinity of land as well as of water. Salinity of water is Water productivity in agriculture, which is more common than that of the land and it is often used as a criterion for decision-making often the cause of salinity development in on crop-production and water-management soils, largely because of the misuse of salty © CAB International 2003. Water Productivity in Agriculture: Limits and Opportunities for Improvement (eds J.W. Kijne, R. Barker and D. Molden) 69 Water Prod - Chap 05 15/7/03 10:14 am Page 70 70 N.K. Tyagi water for crop production. There are two research has treated saline/alkaline water use major approaches to improving and sustain- in the context of root-zone salinity manage- ing productivity in a saline environment: ment, involving the application or withhold- modifying the environment to suit the plant ing of irrigation to maintain an environment and modifying the plant to suit the environ- favourable to crop production. This approach ment. Both these approaches have been used, has enabled the development of management either singly or in combination (Tyagi and practices at field level without considering Sharma, 2000), but the first approach has their implications and practicability at the been used more extensively because it farm/irrigation-system/river-basin levels. It enables the plants to respond better not only should, however, be clearly understood that, to water but also to other production inputs. just like the water balance, the salinity balance The development of the management options also has to be maintained at field and irriga- requires the analysis of sensitivity parameters tion-system/basin levels (Tyagi, 2001). that affect interaction between salinity and Manipulation of water diversions of different crop yield (Zeng et al., 2001). The sensitivity qualities and origins can be successfully used of crop growth stages often determines man- as a tool for enhancing water productivity on agement options to minimize yield reduc- a sustainable basis (Srinivasulu et al., 1997). tions and to promote the use of salty water. Such manipulations would normally involve Most management practices aim at keeping reallocation and intrasystem/intraseason salinity in the crop root zone below the water transfers, which could be facilitated by threshold salinity of the given crop at the development of water markets (Strosser, 1997). growth stage in consideration. Though the This process could begin at the watercourse general threshold limits are fairly well estab- level, which is the lowest level of large tradi- lished (Maas, 1990), the threshold salinities tional irrigation systems in countries like India for different stages are not well defined. The and Pakistan, and spread upward in the sys- information gap is more serious for alkaline tem hierarchy. water than for saline water. Lastly, productivity should be understood Most studies on the effect of salty water not only in terms of physical outputs, such on crop yield refer to individual crops, but, as grain or biomass yield, but also in eco- in actual practice, the interseasonal salinity nomic terms, such as revenue or profit balance that actually influences the crop earned per unit of water diverted, at differ- yields is greatly modified by the cropping ent levels of the irrigation system. Some time sequence. The management practices also ago, much concern was expressed in the vary according to the cropping system fol- state of Haryana (India) when an overall lowed. Therefore, it is important to consider decline in productivity was reported in cer- the saline/alkaline water-use practices not tain rice-growing areas (Anon., 1998); but, only for individual crops but also for the later on, it was discovered that the decline in cropping system. productivity was due not to any malfunc- In the past, water productivity has been tioning of the system, but to a shift from expressed either in terms of irrigation effi- high-yielding coarse rice varieties to more ciency (the term mostly used by engineers) or remunerative basmati rice, which had a in terms of water-use efficiency (mostly used lower yield but fetched a far higher price in by agriculturists). The first term has a hydro- the market. Incidentally, a salt-tolerant vari- logical basis and can be extended from field to ety of basmati rice (CSR-30) is now available. river-basin scale. In other words, the irrigation Productivity-enhancing measures are dis- efficiency can be defined in a system, with one cussed that involve the use of saline/alkaline level having a relationship to the other in the water at field level, such as conjunctive use, irrigation-system hierarchy. This issue is dis- water-table management, rainwater conser- cussed in other chapters in this volume (e.g. vation in precisely levelled basins and chem- by Seckler et al., Chapter 3, and Molden et al., ical amelioration of alkaline water. Though Chapter 1) and is of great importance in plan- not exclusive, this discussion of the produc- ning saline-water use. Most agricultural tivity-enhancing measures is in the context Water Prod - Chap 05 15/7/03 10:14 am Page 71 Saline and Alkaline Water for Higher Productivity 71 of the rice–wheat system in a monsoonal cli- osmotic pressure of the soil solution, result- mate with moderate rainfall (400–600mm), ing in reduced water availability. In field sit- as prevails in north-west India, where the uations, the first reaction of plants to the occurrence of saline/alkaline water is more application of saline water is reduced germi- prevalent (Fig. 5.1). Water reallocation and nation. This reduced initial growth results in transfer, water markets and saline-water dis- smaller plants (lower leaf-area index). posal, which have irrigation-system/basin- Experimental evidence indicates that the level implications, are also briefly presented. interplay of several factors, such as the evap- orative demand, salt content, soil type, rain- fall, water-table conditions and type of crop Salinity/Alkalinity Hazards and water-management practices, deter- mines salinity build-up in the soil and crop The most important criterion for evaluating performance resulting from long-term appli- salinity hazards is the total concentration of cation of saline water. salts. The quantity of salts dissolved in water Some water, when used for the irrigation is usually expressed in terms of electrical con- of crops, has a tendency to produce alkalin- ductivity (EC), mg l(cid:1)1 (p.p.m.) or meq l(cid:1)1. ity/sodicity hazards, depending upon the The cations Na+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ and the absolute and relative concentrations of spe- anions Cl(cid:1), SO2(cid:1), HCO(cid:1) and CO2(cid:1)are the cific cations and anions. The alkalinity is 4 3 3 major constituents of saline water. Plant generally measured in terms of the sodium growth is adversely affected by saline water, adsorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium car- primarily through excessive salts raising the bonate (RSC) and adjusted SAR. Irrigation INDIA Alkaline water Saline water High-SAR saline water Isohyets in mm International boundary State boundary Fig. 5.1. Distribution of alkaline and saline groundwater in north-west India. Water Prod - Chap 05 15/7/03 10:14 am Page 72 72 N.K. Tyagi with sodic water contaminated with Na+rel- growing period of kharif crops, i.e. cotton, ative to Ca2+ and Mg2+ and high carbonate pearl millet, maize, sorghum and paddy. The (CO2(cid:1) and HCO(cid:1)) leads to an increase in second phase is the the cool and dry season 3 3 alkalinity and sodium saturation in soils. The from October to March, which covers the increase in exchangeable sodium percentage growing period of most rabi crops, including (ESP) adversely affects soil physical proper- wheat, mustard, gram and barley. The third ties, including infiltration and aeration. In phase is characterized by hot and dry the early stages of sodic irrigation, large weather, which prevails from April to mid- amounts of divalent cations are released into June, which covers part of the growing peri- the soil solution from exchange sites. In a ods of wheat, cotton and maize. A seasonal monsoonal climate, alternating irrigation water-balance analysis shows that, in relative with sodic water and rainwater induces terms, winter and summer months, being dry, cycles of precipitation and dissolution of are water-deficit periods, whereas the kharif salts. Several field observations have shown season from mid-June to September has some that, although steady-state conditions are surplus water (Fig. 5.2). The salinity build-up never reached in a monsoonal climate, a in the soil is greatly influenced by the weather quasi-stable salt balance is reached within and the irrigation practice. In waterlogged 4–5 years of sustained sodic irrigation, while saline areas, maximum salinity is observed in a further rise in pH and ESP is very low the pre-monsoonal period in June. This is (Minhas and Tyagi, 1998). because, after the first week of April, wheat, which is the dominant irrigated crop, receives no irrigation till its harvest. From mid-April Seasonal Water Balance and Salinization till mid-June, the land remains mostly fallow, and Desalinization Cycles when there is no irrigation and there is an upward moisture flux due to high evapora- In north-west India, the annual weather tive demand, which results in salinity build- exhibits three distinct phases, the first of up. With the onset of the monsoon and the which is the hot and humid season from mid- planting of crops that receive irrigation, the June to September, when about 80% of the desalinization of the soil profile takes place, rainfall takes place. This phase covers the and the salinity reaches a minimum value in 350 300 250 m) PET (0.7 pan evaporation) Rainfall m T ( 200 WSoailt-ewr adteefri crietplenishment E P Soil-water utilization all/ 150 nf ai R 100 50 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Month Fig. 5.2. Annual climatic water balance at Karnal. PET, potential evapotranspiration. Water Prod - Chap 05 15/7/03 10:14 am Page 73 Saline and Alkaline Water for Higher Productivity 73 October (Fig. 5.3). From November to frequency irrigation, etc. In situations where February, the evaporative demands are low high water tables with saline water prevail, (the value reaches less than 1mm day(cid:1)1 in subsurface drainage and water-table manip- December–January) and therefore the upward ulation are often introduced to promote the flux is low. The low initial salinity in the use of brackish water. beginning of the rabi season favours saline irrigation, which is further facilitated by low evaporative demands during this season. This Multi-quality irrigation practices limits the rate of salinization in the soil profile due to saline irrigation. By the time the sum- Possible ways of practising multi-quality mer season starts, the crops are mature and water use are as shown below. These include are able to tolerate higher salinity. The mon- direct application of salty water, as well as soonal water leaches the salts accumulated different modes of blending or cyclic use. during the winter and early summer, which is why the limits for the use of saline/sodic Water-application modes and their impact on water can be higher in this region than recom- productivity mended elsewhere. Among the various application modes, direct application of saline water can be practised Root-zone Salinity Management where salinity of the water is such that a crop can be grown within acceptable yield levels Most research on the use of saline/alkaline without adversely affecting soil health. It was water has focused on keeping root-zone reported by Boumans et al. (1988) that mar- salinity under control by various manage- ginal-quality water (EC of 4–6 dS m(cid:1)1) was ment practices. The important practices being used directly in several locations in include multi-quality water use in different Haryana. The average yield depressions for modes, scheduling irrigation with saline crops, including cotton, millet, mustard and water in a manner that avoids its application wheat, were less than 20%. When higher- at sensitive stages, use of chemical amend- salinity water is used directly, a pre-sowing ments, precision levelling and high- irrigation, if required, is given with fresh water. To practise joint use of saline and freshwater, the available options are blending and the cyclic mode. Blending is promising in June areas where fresh water can be made avail- ECe 12 dS m–1 able in adequate quantities on demand. The potential for blending two different supplies depends on the crops to be grown, salinities April O N DE and quantities of the two water supplies and S ECe 8 dS m–1 TI KA the economically acceptable yield reductions. A HLI Cyclic use is most common and offers several Z AN advantages over blending (Rhoades et al., I I R I NB I Z 1992). In sequential application under the ILAR F TA cyclic mode, the use of fresh water and saline AS N O I water is alternated according to a pre- designed schedule. Sometimes, there is inter- seasonal switching, where supplies of fresh water and saline water are applied in differ- October ent seasons. In a field study, Sharma and Rao ECe 3 dS m–1 (1996) found that saline drainage effluents Fig. 5.3. Salinization and desalinization cycle in could be used in different modes without monsoonal climate.ECe, EC of the soil saturation appreciable yield reduction in a wheat crop extract. (Table 5.1). Water Prod - Chap 05 15/7/03 10:14 am Page 74 74 N.K. Tyagi Table 5.1. Effect of different salinity levels of applied water (blending and cyclic application) over a period of 6 years (1986/87 to 1991/92) on grain yield of wheat.a Blending Cyclic application Mean Relative Mean Relative EC yield yield yield yield iw (dS m(cid:1)1) (t ha(cid:1)1) (%) (t ha(cid:1)1) (%) < 0.6 (FW) 6.0 100 4 FW 6.0 100 6 5.8 96.0 FW + DW 5.8 96.7 9 5.0 80.3 DW:FW 5.6 93.3 12 5.0 80.3 2FW + 2 DW 5.7 95.0 12 (DW) 4.7 78.3 2 DW + 2 FW 5.4 90.0 1 FW + 3 DW 5.1 85.0 4 DW 4.5 75.0 aThe drainage water had an EC = 12.5–27 dS m(cid:1)1and SAR =12.3–17. FW, fresh water; DW, drainage water. Impact of saline-water use on soil health exceeding conventional suitability standards can be used successfully on many crops for The salinity build-up in soil profiles after 6 at least 6–7 years without significant loss in years of irrigation with different-quality yield. However, uncertainty still exists about water, in fields provided with subsurface the long-term effects of these practices. drainage, is shown in Fig. 5.4 (Sharma and Long-term effects on soil could include soil Rao, 1996). It can be seen that, for all water dispersion, crusting, reduced water-infiltra- with salinity in the range of 0.5–12 dS m(cid:1)1, tion capacity and accumulation of toxic ele- soil salinity at the end of the monsoonal sea- ments. The effects on some soil properties son is reduced to less than 4 dS m(cid:1)1. (sandy loam soils) of irrigation with high- Several studies have suggested that irri- salinity drainage effluent, as practised in the gation water containing salt concentrations Sampla drainage area (Haryana), were moni- ECe (dS m–1) 0 4 8 4 8 12 0 4 0 30 m) c h ( pt 60 e 6 d 8 Soil ECiw dS m–1Nov 19 0.4 (CW) 90 6 9 12 12.5–25 At sowing At harvest After monsoon 120 Fig. 5.4. Increase in soil salinity in different treatments after 6 years. ECe, EC of the soil saturation extract; EC , electrical conductivity of irrigation water; CW, canal water. iw Water Prod - Chap 05 15/7/03 10:14 am Page 75 Saline and Alkaline Water for Higher Productivity 75 tored for 6 years. Since the SAR of saline Use of alkaline water and chemical drainage water was more (12.3–17.0) than amelioration that of canal water (0.7), its use increased soil Water having alkalinity/sodicity problems is SAR in all the treatments (Fig. 5.5). encountered on a large scale in the Leaching of salts by monsoonal rains rice–wheat-growing areas of Punjab and reduced the SAR of the soil saturation Haryana in north-west India. Several studies extract (SARe) in all the treatments and the have shown that this water can be used remaining SARe values did not constitute under certain conditions. In a study con- any alkaline hazard to the succeeding crops. ducted over a period of 6 years (1981–1987) Similarly, no significant adverse effects were by Bajwa and Josan (1989), it was found that observed on saturated hydraulic conductiv- irrigation with sodic water given after two ity or water-dispersible clay after the mon- turns of irrigation with fresh water, to rice as soonal rains. A slight decrease in hydraulic well as to wheat, helped in obtaining yields conductivity after monsoonal leaching will comparable to those with irrigation with not be a problem during the irrigation sea- son since the negative effect of high SAR of fresh water (Table 5.2). Crop yields even in drainage water is offset by the high salinity the case of alternate irrigation with sodic and of the drainage water. The slight variation in fresh water were only marginally less than water-dispersible clay after 6 years of irriga- when fresh water alone was used. On aver- tion with drainage effluent indicates only age, rice received 18 irrigations, whereas only minimal structural deterioration in soils irri- five turns of irrigation of 6cm were applied gated with high-salinity drainage effluent. to wheat. In all cases, pre-sowing irrigation Although no potential adverse effects were was given with fresh water and no amend- observed in these studies at the Sampla farm ments to neutralize sodicity were applied. At (Haryana), caution should be exercised when the end of 6 years, the ESPin plots irrigated considering the reuse of drainage effluent entirely with sodic water increased from 3.5 and the specific conditions should be care- to 46% whereas in alternate irrigation with fully evaluated. fresh water and sodic water the ESP 12 y cla Hydraulic conductivity Dispersible clay e bl 10 si er p dis 8 er- at w 6 y/ vit cti du 4 n o c c uli 2 a dr y H 0 0.5 6 9 12 18 Electrical conductivity of water (dS m–1) Fig. 5.5. Saturated hydraulic electrical conductivity (mm h(cid:1)1) of soil saturation extract measured three times during the year, and water-dispersible clay (%) of 0(cid:1)30cm layer. Water Prod - Chap 05 15/7/03 10:14 am Page 76 76 N.K. Tyagi Table 5.2. Average grain yield of rice and wheat as affected by the use of fresh water and alkaline water over a period of 6 years (1981–1986). Irrigation-water productivity (kg ha(cid:1)1cm(cid:1)1) Crop yield Rice– Treatment (t ha(cid:1)1) Rice wheat Wheat Fresh water (FW) 6.7 5.4 62 180 Alkaline water (AW) 4.2 3.6 39 120 2 FW–AW 62 6.7 5.2 173 FW–AW 58 6.3 5.3 177 FW–2 AW 53 5.7 4.8 160 AW: EC 1.25 dS m(cid:1)1; SAR = 13.5; RSC = 10 meq l(cid:1)1. increased to a level of only 18.2% (Fig. 5.6). yield as a percentage of the maximum The increase in ESP points to the danger observed yield. The SYI is defined as (Y (cid:1) involved in the use of these supplies of water. S)/Y , where Y is the average yield, S is max It should be understood that, when fields the standard deviation and Y the maxi- max are irrigated with poor-quality water, the mum yield (in the study area it was 6 t ha(cid:1)1 yields can only be maintained at a lower for rice and 5 t ha(cid:1)1 for wheat). The SYI level than when irrigated with good-quality ranged from 0.57 to 0.65 in rice and from 0.54 water if no amendments are applied. The to 0.65 in wheat (Table 5.3) at different doses levels at which yields can be sustained of applied gypsum. The overall build-up of depend not only upon the alkalinity of the pH (8.5), SARe (20.7) and EC of the soil satu- groundwater but also on the water available ration extract (ECe) (2.5 dS m(cid:1)1) in the soil from rainfall and canals, etc. Sharma et al. remained below the threshold salinity levels (2001), based on a 7-year study (1993–1999), of these crops. This may be due to dilution evaluated the sustainable yield index (SYI), by rainwater along with the high Ca or Ca + which indicates the minimum guaranteed Mg content of the water used. The low level ESP 0 10 20 30 40 50 0 30 60 m) Canal water (CW) c h ( 90 Sodic water (SW) pt e 2 CW–SW D 120 CW–SW CW–2 SW 150 180 Fig. 5.6. Build-up of exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) in 0–30cm soil layer over time (6 years) with sodic water application in different combinations. Water Prod - Chap 05 15/7/03 10:14 am Page 77 Saline and Alkaline Water for Higher Productivity 77 Table 5.3. Crop yield and sustainable yield index (SYI) for rice–wheat cropping irrigated with gypsum-amended alkaline water (from Sharma et al., 2001). SYI Treatment Gypsum Crop yield (% GR) applied (t ha(cid:1)1) Rice Wheat Rice–wheat 0 0 4.01 3.55 0.57 0.54 12.5 1.24 4.22 3.75 0.60 0.60 25.0 2.50 4.13 3.68 0.60 0.58 50.0 5.00 4.26 3.82 0.61 0.62 75.0 7.50 4.22 3.83 0.62 0.62 100.0 10.00 4.48 3.94 0.62 0.63 Canal water Nil 4.46 3.85 0.65 0.65 GR, Gypsum requirement for neutralizing completely sodicity. of sodification could also be attributed to ductivity of the crop in the subsequent sea- large biological production and dissolution son. In a monsoonal climate, crops that of CO occurring in submerged rice fields. It favour higher retention and in situ conserva- 2 was concluded that a maximum yield of tion of rainwater, which is salt-free, result in about 60% in both rice and wheat can be sus- lesser salinity/sodicity development in the tained with the use of alkaline water (RSC = soil profile at the end of the season, provid- 10 meq l(cid:1)1) if 1.25 t ha(cid:1)1 of gypsum is ing a better environment for the next crop. applied annually to rice–wheat in the In a 6-year study conducted at the Central medium-rainfall zone (500–600mm). Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI) (Sharma et al., 2001), three important crop- ping sequences (rice–wheat, cotton–wheat Cropping sequence and sorghum–wheat) were compared in terms of their productivity when applied The irrigation, drainage and agronomic with alkaline water. The productivity of the practices vary from crop to crop. Therefore, rice–wheat system in kharif and rabi seasons the crop grown in the previous season was higher than the sorghum–wheat and greatly influences the production and pro- cotton–wheat systems (Table 5.4). Table 5.4. Equivalent rice and wheat yields (t ha(cid:1)1) as affected by cropping sequence when irrigated with alkaline water (from Sharma, D.K., 2001, personal communication). Equivalent Total Equivalent rice wheat yield equivalent yield (kharif) (rabi) yield (wheat) Soil pH 2 Cropping Water quality Water quality Water quality Water quality sequences AW FW:AW AW FW:AW AW FW:AW AW FW:AW Sorghum–wheat 2.9 3.5 3.8 4.1 6.22 6.92 9.1 9.0 Rice (basmati)– 4.8 7.0 3.7 4.7 7.62 9.65 9.1 9.0 wheat Cotton–wheat 3.5 4.1 3.5 3.8 6.3 6.66 9.0 9.0 Rice (Jaya)– 4.0 4.3 4.0 4.4 7.27 7.32 9.1 9.0 mustard Rice (Jaya)– 3.3 4.1 2.7 3.0 5.41 6.31 9.3 9.1 berseem (clover) AW, alkaline water; FW, fresh water. Water Prod - Chap 05 15/7/03 10:14 am Page 78 78 N.K. Tyagi Shallow water-table management Table 5.5. Relative yield of wheat with saline irrigation under conditions of a deep water table and a high water table but provided with subsurface Providing drainage to ensure that the salt drainage (from Minhas, 1993; Sharma et al., 1991). concentration does not exceed the level that can be tolerated by crop roots is a require- Relative yield (%) Irrigation-water ment for continued productivity. Provision salinity Deep Shallow of drainage and leaching over a period of (dS m(cid:1)1) water table saline water tablea time leads to improvement in the quality of subsoil water in drained fields. The upper 0.6 95 100 few centimetres of subsoil water have very 4.0 90 94 little salinity, and plants could be allowed 8.0 83 86 12.0 60 78 to use it by manipulating the operation of 16 42 74b the drainage system. Thus the plants would meet part of their evapotranspiration needs aThere was provision for subsurface drainage to directly from soil water. The use of ground- leach and remove salts. water by the crops is related to the water- bSalinity varied between 14 and 26.5 dS m(cid:1)1, the average being 16 dS m(cid:1)1and the yield varied table depth and the salinity of subsoil between 50 and 86%, with an average of 74%. water (Chaudhary et al., 1974). Minhas et al. (1988) observed that in sandy loam soil with the water table at 1.7m depth and with groundwater salinity at 8.7 dS m(cid:1)1, Improving Economic Efficiency of Water Use the water table contributed as much as 50% of the requirement when only irrigation was applied. The commonly used definition of water pro- ductivity does not take into account the net In another study, a shallow water table benefits that accrue from crop production. It at 1.0 m depth with salinity in the range of 3.0 to 5.5 dS m(cid:1)1 gave rise to yield levels should, however, be understood that farmers are interested in increasing water productiv- equal to the potential yield with good-qual- ity only to the level at which it maximizes ity irrigation water, even when the applica- their net benefits. The cost of cultivation and tion of surface water was reduced to 50% the prevailing market price often decide the (Sharma et al., 2001). These fields had been crop variety that the farmers cultivate, irre- provided with subsurface drainage. The spective of the physical water productivity. salinity build-up was negligible and the Growing crops that use less water and have small amount of salt that accumulated was low cost of cultivation but fetch a higher leached in the subsequent monsoonal sea- price in the market can enhance economic son. The provision of subsurface drainage efficiency. A case in point is the increase in also allows the use of higher-salinity water area of basmati rice in several districts of through surface applications (Minhas, 1993; Haryana (Kaithal, Kurukshetra Panipat) in Sharma et al., 2001). The yield reduction places with marginal-quality water. The yield with progressively increasing salinity of of basmati rice is only 50% (about 2 t ha(cid:1)1) of applied water was much less in fields hav- the coarse rice varieties, such as Jaya and IR- ing a subsurface drainage system than in 8, but its irrigation requirements are about fields with a deeper water table, which had 60–65% of the coarse varieties. Although bas- no need of artificial subsurface drainage. mati rice has lower tolerance for sodicity, the The differences are highly marked at supplemental irrigation with alkaline water applied water salinities of more than 10 dS is also less and its nitrogenous fertilizer m(cid:1)1 (Table 5.5). Relatively higher moisture demand is only 70% of the coarse variety. in the crop root zone in fields with subsur- In a field study that involved sequential face drainage could be the reason for the application of fresh water and alkaline higher productivity. water (FW:AW), the equivalent yield of bas-