Treated urban wastewater irrigation effects on bioenergy sorghum biomass, quality, and soil salinity in an arid environment

Ganjegunte, Girisha; Ulery, April; Niu, Genhua; Wu, Yanqi

doi:10.1002/ldr.2883

Cited by 17 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…This threshold is much higher than cotton with 7.7 dS m −1 (Mass & Hoffman, 1977). Nevertheless, increasing soil salinity is a very common trend observed under saline water irrigation regimes, especially in those soils with less leaching potential (Ganjegunte et al., 2018).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quinoa growth and yield performance under salinity stress in arid West Texas

Chaganti,

Ganjegunte

2024

Agrosystems Geosci & Env

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Crops such as quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) that are both salinity and drought‐tolerant and with high seed value are needed to sustain agriculture in arid Far West Texas facing dual threat of freshwater scarcity and soil salinization. However, quinoa's growth and yield performance under arid conditions of Far West Texas has not been studied previously. This study evaluated growth and yield of a salt‐tolerant quinoa genotype under greenhouse conditions using a completely randomized experimental design with irrigation water salinity as the main factor having five different levels (freshwater, 5, 10, 15, and 20 dS m−1). Plant parameters (plant height, leaf SPAD, leaf tissue carbon, and nitrogen concentrations) and seed yield were measured for two growing seasons. Soil quality (salinity and sodicity) changes were also determined for the same time. Seed yields ranged between 747 and 6065 kg ha−1 across 2 years, indicating significant effects of water salinity. However, these yields were comparable to those reported in the literature. Increasing water salinity significantly affected all growth parameters with leaf C and N decreasing by an average of 20%, whereas reductions in plant height reached a high of 60% at 20 dS m−1. Similar reductions in leaf chlorophyll content were found with increasing water salinity. Soil salinity and sodicity significantly increased over time with irrigation water salinity. Importantly, we observed that quinoa has a much higher soil salinity threshold (∼12 dS m−1) above which yields declined rapidly. Higher salt tolerance threshold of quinoa makes it an alternative economically viable crop for the Trans‐Pecos Texas region.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quinoa growth and yield performance under salinity stress in arid West Texas

Chaganti,

Ganjegunte

2024

Agrosystems Geosci & Env

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“…This SAR value was below the threshold of 10 proposed by Richards (1954), but in fine textured soils we have observed that even an SAR value as low as 5 could result in dispersion of clay. Several researchers have reported that the Rio Grande River water is elevated in salinity (Ganjegunte et al, 2018). Sources of the salinity are salts added by solubilization of geological deposits, upwelling of brackish groundwater, agricultural return flows, and wastewater discharge from treatment plants located in the upstream and evapo‐concentration (Moyer et al, 2009; Ganjegunte et al, 2017).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Salinity Management in Pima Cotton Fields Using Sulfur Burner

Ganjegunte¹,

Clark²,

Parajulee³

et al. 2018

Agrosystems Geosci & Env

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Core Ideas Salinity and sodicity in irrigated cotton fields are reducing soil productivity, lint yield, and fiber quality in arid and semiarid regions of the world. Sulfur burner treatment of irrigation water can be used to tap native CaCO3 to produce CaSO4 in a safe manner. Calcium sulfate increases Ca availability in the root zone to counter Na, improve soil permeability, and leach salts to deeper depths. Salinity and sodicity are the dual problems affecting soil productivity, lint yield, and fiber quality in the irrigated pima cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) fields in far west Texas. This field study evaluated the effects of S burner‐treated blended irrigation water on sodicity and salinity of the root zone, cotton lint yield, and fiber quality. Results indicated that pre‐study soil salinity and sodicity exceeded the threshold levels in many areas within the 9.2‐ha study site. One year of irrigation with S burner‐treated water resulted in 19% reduction in salinity of the upper 0‐ to 30‐cm depth and redistribution of salts at deeper depths. Average sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) of study site soils decreased by 3 to 5% at 0‐ to 15‐, 30‐ to 45‐, and 45‐ to 60‐cm depths and reduction in the SAR range for 15‐ to 30‐ and 60‐ to 75‐cm depths indicated redistribution of Na. Irrigation with S burner‐treated blended water increased annual cotton lint yield by 20% compared with long‐term average and improved fiber quality. However, 1 yr of irrigation with S burner‐treated water did not reduce the maximum soil ECe and SAR values below the threshold levels at different depths. Multi‐year studies are needed to confirm our results and quantify the duration required to restore soil quality, cotton yield, and fiber quality.

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“…However, the dry biomass productivities obtained at the Pecos location were lower than most of the productivities reported in literature. In a similar arid environment, Ganjegunte and Ulery [21] conducted a study to evaluate the dry biomass productivity of an energy sorghum cultivar irrigated with both urban wastewater with an electrical conductivity of the irrigation water (ECw) of 2.5 dS m −1 and fresh water with an ECw of 1.3 dS m −1 . They reported productivities ranging from 18.24 to 33.19 Mg ha −1 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Energy Sorghum Production under Arid and Semi-Arid Environments of Texas

Enciso¹,

Chávez

Ganjegunte³

et al. 2019

Water

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Water availability and supply are critical factors in the production of bioenergy. Dry biomass productivity and water use efficiency (WUE) of two biomass sorghum cultivars (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) were studied in two different climatic locations during 2014 and 2015. The objective of this field study was to evaluate the dry biomass productivity and water use efficiency of two energy sorghum cultivars grown in two different climatic environments: one at Pecos located in the Chihuahuan Desert and a second one located at Weslaco in the Lower Rio Grande bordering Mexico and with a semiarid environment. There were significant differences between locations in dry biomass and WUE. Dry biomass productivity ranged from 22.4 to 31.9 Mg ha−1 in Weslaco, while in Pecos it ranged from 7.4 to 17.6 Mg ha−1. Even though it was possible to produce energy sorghum biomass in an arid environment with saline-sodic soils and saline irrigation, the energy sorghum dry biomass yield was reduced more than 50% in the arid environment compared to production in a semiarid environment with good soil and water quality, and it required approximately twice as much water. Harsh production conditions combined with low energy prices resulted in negative net returns for all treatments. However, a moderate increase in ethanol price could make the semiarid cropland of Texas an economically feasible feedstock production location.

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Treated urban wastewater irrigation effects on bioenergy sorghum biomass, quality, and soil salinity in an arid environment

Cited by 17 publications

References 32 publications

Quinoa growth and yield performance under salinity stress in arid West Texas

Quinoa growth and yield performance under salinity stress in arid West Texas

Salinity Management in Pima Cotton Fields Using Sulfur Burner

Energy Sorghum Production under Arid and Semi-Arid Environments of Texas

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