The Effect of Saline Water Irrigation and Mineral Fertilization in Moisture, Salt and Thermal Distribution in The Soil

This research was conducted as a field experiment in Muhammadllyah District, Baghdad Governorate, during the spring of 2024. The primary objective of this work is to study the effect of saline water and mineral fertilization on moisture, salt, and temperature distributions in soils. Three irrigation systems namely freshwater irrigation, alternate irrigation with fresh and saline water, and saline water irrigation only besides two types of mineral fertilization were applied. Soil moisture content, EC, and soil temperature were measured at different depths throughout the growing season using GS3 sensors. Findings indicated that saline water irrigation improved soil moisture content based on effective accumulation due to salts. Electrical conductivity recorded the highest values under the saline irrigation treatment, to the detriment of both plant growth and potato yield. Higher mineral fertilization generally bettered plant height and increased Lagging up productivity with the highest yield coming in the treatment of freshwater irrigation and high fertilization.