Work

Water Productivity and Crop Response to Dual-Lateral Subsurface Drip Irrigation Using Brackish and Fresh Water Sources

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Freshwater scarcity is a critical constraint on global agriculture, with arid regions such as Saudi Arabia facing acute challenges as farming consumes most of the available water. This study evaluated the performance of a dual-lateral subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) system using fresh and brackish water for potato and tomato production under hyper-arid conditions. Over three growing seasons, six irrigation strategies combining simultaneous and sequential operation of fresh and brackish water were tested in a factorial design. Results showed that irrigation water quality and operation mode significantly affected crop response. For potatoes, yield and water productivity were highest under simultaneous application, while brackish-dominated sequences reduced performance. Tomatoes exhibited higher salt tolerance, maintaining yield across treatments, though water productivity and footprint varied with operation sequence. Overall, dual-lateral SDI with concurrent operation demonstrated superior efficiency, reducing dependence on freshwater while sustaining crop yields. These findings highlight the potential of dual-lateral SDI as a sustainable irrigation strategy for water-scarce regions.

Source: Water

DOI: 10.3390/w17202953

Authors: A A Alazba, M. N. Elnesr, Farid Radwan, Nasser Alrdyan, Mahmoud Ezzeldin

Institution: King Saud University

Language: English

Topic: Irrigation Practices and Water Management

Subfield: Soil Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Zero hunger, Clean water and sanitation

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137