In Tunisia, only 30% of mobilized water resources have salinity less than 2.34 dS/m. The objective of this work was to determine the best irrigation scheduling way when saline and desalinated waters are used. Different irrigation doses of freshwater and saline water are used: T80-20, T50-50 and T1d-1d. 80, 20 and 50 correspond to the percentages of irrigation water supplied in a day. For 1d-1d, this corresponds to irrigation one day with saline water and then the next day with desalinated water. Their effect on crops growth and on soil salinity was measured for three different saline waters (1.56, 4.68 and 7.81 dS/m). For irrigation with water salinity of 1.56 dS/m, the treatments T50-50 gives the better yield. For the 4.68 and 7.81 dS/m, a reduction in height was observed for all treatments. Also, for soil salinity at the end of the lettuce crop cycle, T50-50 is the best treatment that has given the best results at all levels.

Irrigation in Tunisia is threatened all over the country. The irrigated coastal area of Dyiar-Al-Hujjej has observed a drop in agricultural activity following a seawater intrusion. Thus, yields have become disrupted in direct relation to the quantities of fresh water supplied and transferred over a distance of 100 km. For the sustainability of this area, the feasibility of using desalinated water to stabilize the irrigation water supply was analyzed. When all crop water requirements are to be met with desalinated water, the net income is negative for crops currently grown, except strawberry. All the open-field crops remain unprofitable even in the case of agro-industrial development, except tomatoes. A blending between desalinated seawater and aquifer saltwater also leads to a negative income for the main crops. The introduction of greenhouses to replace the same open-season crops is beneficial when desalinated water is used. The use of desalinated water in irrigation faces the high cost of desalination (0.5 US $/m3) while the average price of irrigation water in Tunisia is 0.05 US $/m3. Desalination can be recommended only in the case of crops with low need for water and high added value.

No abstract