# Impact of Dripper Type and Irrigation Water Salinity on Soil Bulk Density, Growth, and Yield of Maize Crop

## TL;DR

This study shows that alternating fresh and saline irrigation with turbo drippers can reduce freshwater use by half while maintaining good maize yields.

## Contribution

The study introduces a novel irrigation strategy using alternating water salinity and dripper types to conserve freshwater without compromising crop yield.

## Key findings

- Using turbo drippers increased maize yield by 3.07% compared to spiral drippers.
- Alternating irrigation with (L, H, L) salinity rotation improved plant height, leaf area, and yield.
- Saline irrigation increased soil bulk density by 22.63%.

## Abstract

This study hypothesized that alternating fresh and saline irrigation with different dripper types would optimize water use while minimizing negative effects on soil bulk density (ρb) and maize growth. The field experiment was carried out to investigate the impact of the types of the dripper and the salinity of irrigation water rotation on the ρb, maize (Zea mays L.) growth, and yield using two kinds of drippers (turbo and spiral) and two levels of irrigation water with different salinity ratios (low, symbolized by L) and (high, symbolized by H). Irrigation water was added into three rotations (L, H), (H, L, H), and (L, H, L). Soil ρb increased by 22.63% under saline irrigation, while yield was 3.07% higher with turbo drippers compared to spiral drippers. The results displayed an increase in plant height, leaf area, and yield by using the (L, H, L) as compared to (L, H) and (H, L, H), respectively. These results suggest that alternating fresh and saline water could reduce freshwater usage by 50% while maintaining acceptable crop yields, making it a cost-effective solution for water-scarce regions.