Ismail, A., El Hawary, M., Salman, A. (2015). EFFECT OF DIGGING DEPTHS OF SUGAR BEET'S HARVESTER ON SOME PROPERITIES OF SALT-AFFECTED SOILS AND RICE YIELD. Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 6(4), 501-521. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2015.42196
A. Ismail; M. El Hawary; A. Salman. "EFFECT OF DIGGING DEPTHS OF SUGAR BEET'S HARVESTER ON SOME PROPERITIES OF SALT-AFFECTED SOILS AND RICE YIELD". Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 6, 4, 2015, 501-521. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2015.42196
Ismail, A., El Hawary, M., Salman, A. (2015). 'EFFECT OF DIGGING DEPTHS OF SUGAR BEET'S HARVESTER ON SOME PROPERITIES OF SALT-AFFECTED SOILS AND RICE YIELD', Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 6(4), pp. 501-521. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2015.42196
Ismail, A., El Hawary, M., Salman, A. EFFECT OF DIGGING DEPTHS OF SUGAR BEET'S HARVESTER ON SOME PROPERITIES OF SALT-AFFECTED SOILS AND RICE YIELD. Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 2015; 6(4): 501-521. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2015.42196
EFFECT OF DIGGING DEPTHS OF SUGAR BEET'S HARVESTER ON SOME PROPERITIES OF SALT-AFFECTED SOILS AND RICE YIELD
1Soils, Water & Environment Research Institute, ARC, Giza, Egypt.
2Field Crops Research Institute, ARC, Giza, Egypt.
3Agricultural Engineering Research Institute, ARC, Giza, Egypt.
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted in a farmer's field at South of El-Husainia plain, Al-Sharqia Governorate, Egypt during winter season of 2012/2013 and extended to the winter season of 2013/2014.Tha aim of the study was to assess the effect of mechanized sugar beet harvesting at different digging depths on some properties of salt affected soils and its productivity of rice crop. A split plot design with three replicates was used to conduct the field experiment. The main plots represented the harvesting depths (D1: conventional harvesting (farmer's method) using hoes, D2: mechanized harvesting with digging depth of 20-25cm, and D3: mechanized harvesting with digging depth of 35-40cm). The subplots represented sampling distance from the tile drain (A: 7.5 - 5.0m, B: 5.0 - 2.5m, and C: 2.5 – 0.0m). Salt contents at different layers were evaluated. The soil physical parameters determined included bulk density (ρb), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and soil penetration resistances (SPR). Rice grain yield, yield component and growth parameters (panicles length (cm), number of panicles/m2, 1000-grain weight, plant height, leaf area index (LAI), and crop growth rate (CGR)) were determined. Results indicated in general that, salt contents at different layers decreased significantly with increasing digging depth, while the salts removed had an opposite trend. Removed salts with D3 treatment were 5 and 3.5 times more than those of D1 and D2 treatments, respectively. Similarly, values of ρb and SPR were reversely responded to the increase of digging depth. Reduction in average ρb values as compared with its initial value were 5.1, 3.1, and 0.11% for the D3, D2 and D1 treatments, respectively. Decreasing the distance from tile drain, increased both SPR and Ks values. The Ks values close to the tile drain increased by about 1.5 times than its initial values. Increasing digging depth from D2 to D3 resulted in increasing Ks value by about 49%. The enhancement in soil physiochemical properties, due to deep digging, significantly stimulated rice productivity (rice grain yield increased by about 16%) as well as all other yield components and growth parameters.