the effect of water table management on soil salinity distribution in plant rhizosphere in semi-arid climatic conditions of iran

a field study was conducted to evaluate the possibility of using water table control techniques in the semi arid region of iran with special attention to its salinity management. the wtm consisted of three subirrigation treatments with water table controls set at 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 m from the soil surface and a free drainage (fd) treatment. the electrical conductivity (ec) of water was 1.5 ds/m. the crop cultivated in lysimeters was annual alfalfa (medicago scutellata). the results indicated that cwt methods can be used in semi arid condition. in all the treatments the soil ece was not reached to the crop threshold level. the evidence was the higher yield of cwt treatments than fd treatment. the total yield of cwt0.3 and cwt0.5 were 73 and 94% more than fd respectively.