Drainage effectiveness to improve environmental conditions in a problematic soil of Fayoum
Abstract: The environmental conditions have changed in some irrigated lands of Egypt, where groundwater levels rose causing waterlogging and salinity problems. A wide area north of El-Fayoum was completely submerged or waterlogged due to the seepage from Qaroun Lake resulting in a decrease of agricultural activities. So, subsurface open drainage was installed to overcome these hazards at 80 cm below ground surface and three drain space treatments i.e. 40, 30 and 20 m between drains and a control without drains. The investigation work laid in a completely randomized statistical design with three repelications. On the other hand, tomato plants were taken as a test crop among three alternative summer seasons of 2002, 2003 and 2004.
The obtained results showed a sharp decrease in groundwater level and salinity and alkalinity measures. This favorable effect was followed by an increase in total soil porosity, drainable porosity and a decrease in soil bulk density promoting a good structure conditions.
The increase percentages in the performance of tomato, i.e. rooting depth, root dry weight, plant height and total dry weight reached 59.7, 38.18, 20.73 and 22.02%, respectively under 20 m drain spacing relative to the control. Moreover, the increase in tomato fruit yield approached 22.67, 25.65 and 48.84% for 40, 30 and 20 m drain spacing, respectively over the non-drained plots. In addition, drain spacing treatments indirectly affect total chlorophyll and proline amino acid concentrations. The maximum and minimum concentrations were found at the leaves of tomato grown under the narrower drain space (20 m between drains).
Subsurface open drains might be installed with proper spacing and depths to accelerate the ameliorative effect on the poor environmental conditions dominant at the north of El-Fayoum soils.
Publication year 2005
Pages ص 165-180
Organization Name
Country Egypt
City أسيوط
Publisher Name: كلية الزراعة - جامعة اسيوط
serial title Journal of botany (Egypt)
ISSN 1110-0958
Volume 34 . 2
Department Field Drainage Research
Author(s) from ARC
External authors (outside ARC)
    نادية عبدالمنعم الصواف كلية العلوم -جامعة القاهرة
AGROVOC
TERMS		 Agronomic characters. Groundwater. Lycopersicon esculentum. Soil salinity. Waterlogging.
Proposed Agrovoc Soil properties;Proline content;Total chlorophill;Total chlorophyll;
Publication Type Journal
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