RESPONSES OF SOIL WATER‐SALT VARIATION AND COTTON GROWTH TO DRIP IRRIGATION WITH SALINE WATER IN THE LOW PLAIN NEAR THE BOHAI SEA

To test the feasibility and sustainability of drip irrigation with saline water in the Low Plain near the Bohai Sea (BHLP) in North China, the effects of drip irrigation using saline water on soil water salt, cotton growth, seed cotton yield and fibre quality were conducted during 2017–2018. Five salinity levels of irrigation water were set up: 1.3, 5.4, 8.8, 12.4 and 15.9 dS m‾¹. Cotton evapotranspiration increased first and then decreased with increasing salinity of irrigation water. Soil ECe within the cotton root zone at each stage increased with greater salinity of irrigation water. After a 2‐year experiment soil desalination occurred in the main root layer (top 0–60 cm soil layer) when water salinity was less than 8.8 dS m‾¹. The significant (p