Spatial variability and reclamation of salinity and sodicity in a Kenyan irrigation scheme

https://doi.org/10.1016/0933-3630(92)90013-QGet rights and content

Abstract

Salinity and sodicity of soils are two common problems encountered in the Hola Irrigation Scheme in east Kenya. Both result in poor crop performance and reduced yields. Based upon a detailed survey in a 405 ha area consisting of 45 irrigation blocks, the spatial variability of pH, ECe and ESP was studied. Data obtained were analyzed using geostatistical procedures in a geographical information system. As it turned out, sodicity in the area has a clear spatial structure. Also differences in homogeneity per block were observed. Reclamation will be necessary, mainly because of the sodicity in the area, while salinity is still at an acceptable level for all crops grown and only small amounts of water are needed to maintain these EC levels. This results in varying gypsum requirements for reclamation for different blocks. A Geographical Information System (GIS) was used to handle large amounts of data and to compare the effects of different land use scenarios.

References (20)

  • A. Stein et al.

    Use of soil mal delineations to improve (Co-)Kriging of point data on moisture deficits

    Geoderma

    (1988)
  • G.H. Bolt et al.

    Soil chemistry

  • P. Buringh

    Introduction to the study of soils in tropical and subtropical regions

  • P.A. Burrough

    Principles of geographical information systems for land resources assessment

  • L.C.A. Corsten

    Interpolation and optimal linear prediction

    Statistica Neerlandica

    (1989)
  • J.C. Davis

    Statistics and data analysis in geology

  • FAO

    Yield response to water

  • J. Guggenheim et al.

    Effects of salinity, temperature and nitrogen fertilization on growth and composition of Rhodes grass

    Plant and Soil

    (1977)
  • M.R. Hoogerwerf

    Soil Salinity and Sodicity in Hola Irrigation Scheme. Volume II: Use of GIS

  • E.H. Isaaks et al.

    An introduction to applied geostatistics

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (3)

  • Chinese rose (Rosa chinensis) cultivation in Bohai Bay, China, using an improved drip irrigation method to reclaim heavy coastal saline soils

    2015, Agricultural Water Management
    Citation Excerpt :

    Therefore, coastal saline soils severely limit urban vegetation rehabilitation. The traditional methods used in saline soil reclamation are chemical treatment with gypsum (Hoogerwerf et al., 1992; Schuman et al., 1994; Musslewhite et al., 2009), physical treatments, such as combining surface irrigation and water drainage technologies, e.g. drainage ditches and subsurface pipe drainage (Manjunatha et al., 2004; Ritzema and Schultz, 2011), and planting halophytes (Zedler et al., 2003; Ravindran et al., 2007). At present, the most popular saline soil reclamation method in our research area is replacing coastal saline soil with non-saline soil (Sun et al., 2012).

  • Development of rice breeding and cultivation technology tailored for Kenya's environment

    2018, Crop Production under Stressful Conditions: Application of Cutting-edge Science and Technology in Developing Countries

Current address: CSO consultants for environmntal survey and management P.O. Box 30 3734 ZG Den Dolder, The Netherlands

View full text