Summary
Irrigation with self-propelled moving sprinkler irrigation system (MSIS) enhances seal formation at the soil surface and results in large amounts of runoff and erosion which are aggravated by the MSIS high water application rate and reflected in lower yields. The effect of polyacrylamide (PAM) application (at the equivalent rate of 20 kg ha-1), prior to the irrigation season, on runoff and erosion from bare soil and soil covered with a crop, as well as on cotton yield was studied in a clay loam vertisol (Typic Chromoxert) and a silt loam loess (Calcic Haploxeralf). A center pivot and a lateral MSIS were used in the vertisol and loess, respectively. Vegetative growth of cotton plants in the vertisol was inversely related to water application intensity, which in turn affects runoff. PAM significantly reduced runoff in both the bare and crop-covered soils. The runoff level from the PAM treatments was 50–70% of that of the control. PAM also reduced erosion especially in the vertisol soil. However, the amount of eroded material carried by a unit runoff was similar in both treatments for both soils, indicating that PAM influences erosion by reducing runoff levels. A trend whereby PAM increased yield of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L., cv. Pima S5) compared with the control was observed. Our results suggest that, under irrigation with a MSIS, reducing runoff is essential for obtaining higher yields. PAM is suggested as an effective tool to attain this target.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aarstad JS, Miller DE (1973) Soil management practices for reducing runoff under center-pivot sprinkler systems. J Soil Water Cons 28: 171
Addink JW (1975) Runoff-potential of spary-nozzle and sprinkler center-pivot. Annua Meeting Am Soc of Agric Engr Davis CA Paper No 75-2056
Agassi M, Morin J, Shainberg I (1985) Effect of drop impact energy and water salinity on the infiltration rate of sodic soils. Soil Sci Soc Am 49: 186
Agassi M, Shainberg I, Morin J (1981) Effect of electrolye concentration and soil sodicity on infiltration rate and crust formation. Soil Sci Soc Am J 45: 848
Ben-Hur M, Faris J, Malik M, Letey J (1989a) Polymer as soil conditioner under consecutive irrigation and rainfall. Soil Sci Soc Am J 53: 1173
Ben-Hur M, Plaut Z, Shainberg I, Meiri M, Agassi M (1989b) Effect of cotton canopy and drying on runoff during irrigation with moving sprinkler systems. Agron J 81: 752
Ben-Hur M, Shainberg I, Bakker D, Keren R (1985) Effect of soil texture and CaCO3 content on water infiltration in crusted soil as related to water salinity. Irrig Sci 6: 281
Bradford JM, Ferris JE, Remley PA (1987) Interrill soil erosion: I. Effect of surface sealing on infiltration, runoff and soil splash detachment. Soil Sci Soc Am J 51: 1566
Cary JW, Evans DD (eds) (1974) Soil crusts. Tech Bull 214. University of Arizona, Tucson
Gilley JR, Mielke NL (1980) Conserving energy with low-pressure center pivots. J Irrig Drain Div ASCE 106: 49
Helalia AM, Letey J, Graham RC (1988) Crust formation and clay migration effects on infiltration rate. Soil Sci Soc Am J 52: 251
Kazman Z, Shainberg I, Gal M (1983) Effect of low levels of exchangeable sodium and applied phosphogypsum on the infiltration rate of various soils. Soil Sci 135: 184
Kincaid DC, Heermann DF, Kruse EG (1969) Application rates and runoff in center pivot sprinkler irrigation. Trans Am Soc Agric Eng 12: 790
Letey J, Vaux Jr HJ, Feinerman E (1984) Optimum crop water application as affected by uniformity of water infiltration. Agron J 76: 435
McIntyre DS (1958) Permeability measurement of soil crusts formed by raindrop impact. Soil Sci 85: 185
Morin J, Benyamini Y, Michaeli A (1981) The dynamics of soil crusting by rainfall impact and the water movement in the soil profile. J Hydrol 52: 321
Plaut Z, Carmi A, Grava A (1988) Cotton growth and production under drip-irrigation restricted soil wetting. Irrig Sci 9: 143
Remley PA, Bradford JM (1989) Relationship of soil crust morphology to interrill erosion parameters. Soil Sci Soc Am J 53: 1215
Seginer I (1978) A note on the economic significance of uniform water application. Irrig Sci 1: 19
Shainberg I, Letey J (1984) Response of soils to sodic and saline conditions. Hilgardia 52: 1
Shainberg I, Warrington D, Rengasamy P (1990) Water quality and PAM interactions in reducing surface sealing. Soil Sci 149: 301
Shaviv A, Ravina I, Zaslavsky D (1985) Surface application of anionic surface conditioners to reduce crust formation. In: Assessment of soil surface sealing and crusting. Proc of Symposium, Ghent, Belgium, p 286
Smith HJC, Levy GJ, Shainberg I (1990) Water droplet energy and soil amendments: Effect on infiltration and erosion. Soil Sci Soc Am J 54: 1084
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Contribution from the Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel. No. 2866-E, 1989 series
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Levy, G.J., Ben-Hur, M. & Agassi, M. The effect of polyacrylamide on runoff, erosion, and cotton yield from fields irrigated with moving sprinkler systems. Irrig Sci 12, 55–60 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00190010
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00190010