Effect Of Water Salinity In The Increasing Of Desertification Indicators And Degradation Palm Groves Phoenix Dactylifera L. South Of Basra

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Abdulrahman D. Alhamd , Rashad A. Imran

Abstract

The study was conducted in an area located in the south-east of Basra province within the judiciary of Abu Al-Khasib and Fao during the 2018 season,To study the impact of irrigation salt on the degradation of palm groves and the increase in desertification in the region. Six palm groves were selected randomly distributed in six different locations and located within the study area,Four trees of date palms were selected in each study site to have a total number of trees of 24 trees .The trees were the same in size, age, length and nature of growth as much as possible.Pollination of palm On 27 March 2018, the number of Date palm Bunch was reduced to 4 palm trees, and the irrigation method used for irrigation was the traditional irrigation method prevailing in the region (tides).Soil samples were taken at a depth of 0-30 cm from the sites studied with three replicate  for the purpose of conducting field measurements and various laboratory analyses.Models of irrigation and ground water for the same sites were also taken for analysis and simultaneously with the taking of soil samples.At the end of the season, fruit samples were collected at the rate of 15 fruits per palm randomly and with four repeaters to measure some physical and chemical qualities, including the proportion of dry matter, the weight of the meat layer, the length of the fruit and the rate of palm production.


The results of the study showed that the salinity of water used for irrigation ranged from medium to very salty (4.80 to 22.14 dS m-1 ) and ranged from ground water  9.22 to 54.17 dS m-1.The results also showed that high salinity caused problems and increased manifestations of desertification, the most prominent of which was the high soil salinity values in the study area between (19.13 and 122) dS m-1.The deterioration of palm groves and the low rate of plant density in them to an average of 7 palm dunums-1  , The rate of production qualities has been reduced, including the length of the fruit, the weight of the meat layer, the forgetfulness of dry matter and the production rate of the palm. The deterioration has increased from the north of the site to the south.

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