IRRIGATION AND SOIL SURFACE MANAGEMENT IN ARID SOILS WITH SURFACE CRUST

The effects of irrigation and soil surface management on soil water st orage and crop yield were studied in soils affected by surface crust. A field experiment was conducted during 1993/1994 at the University of Jordan Research Station near Al-Muwaqqar village. Soil surface manage ment was the main experimental factor, comprising four treatments: fur rows, basins, furrows within basins, and control. Irrigation managemen t was a secondary experimental factor. Water was applied through three different irrigation practices: one, two, and three irrigation sets w ith the same amount of water per treatment. Soil water storage was imp roved significantly by 200% and 90% using furrow and basin soil surfac e treatments, respectively, compared with soil water storage in the co ntrol treatment. The advantage of furrows is that water infiltration i nside the furrows occurs in two-dimensions: vertical and horizontal. F requent irrigation (two and three irrigation sets) increased soil wate r storage by 50%. Furrow soil surface treatments produced significantl y better barley emergence and higher barley grain yield than the basin and control treatments. The relative increases in barley grain yield in furrow soil surface treatment compared with basin and control treat ments were 32% and 200%, respectively. Thus furrow soil surface treatm ent and frequent irrigation are recommended for soils suffering from s urface crust formation. (C) 1997 Academic Press Limited.