Salinity control and drip irrigation for silt soils
This trial tests how different levels of drip irrigation with brackish water affect potato yields, quality and soil health
Show MorePotato growers in the Holbeach Marsh area lose considerable economic yield due to common scab which, in other areas, is largely controlled by targeted irrigation 4-6 weeks after tuber initiation. The combination of a) variable access to water and b) hydrophobic silt soils in the area has led to an interest in using drip irrigation to more reliably irrigate their crop.
Some growers could have access to surface water from drains and dykes in winter, which could be stored in reservoirs for summer use. However, the water is sometimes brackish, which might negatively affect soil structure and biology, and can lead to salt accumulating to toxic levels in leaves, causing leaf scorch and reduced yield. There is very little knowledge on the point at which these negative side effects of brackish water start to take effect in potatoes grown on silt soils in Eastern England.
Group members would like a side-by-side comparison to help their decisions on water management. This field lab will therefore test the viability of four treatments - three plots treated with different levels of drip irrigated brackish water, and one non-irrigated control plot. They will measure canopy, yield, graded yield and soil quality.
The results will help inform grower decisions on investing in reservoirs and negotiating winter abstraction, and will act as a springboard for further research looking into the longer-term impacts of brackish water in agriculture.