Download or read book Crop Response to Irrigation with Acidic and Neutralized, Saline Mine Water written by Lesego Madiseng and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Further studies are, however, required to determine the effects of irrigation with such waters in field conditions for different soil types. In the case of acidic saline mine water, the influence of lime application, irrigation management (i.e. type of irrigation system, irrigation timing, etc.) and leaching on soil and crop responses are required. In the case of the neutralized mine water, the effects of leaching and irrigation management on soil and crops. Further studies to establish relevant health risk assessments with regard to the trace element content of foods, in the South African context, are also required. The SAWQI-DSS has displayed great potential for use in evaluating long-term effects of irrigating with water that would typically be considered undesirable. The option to introduce site specificity gives users the flexibility to assess the effect that alternative options, for managing the water they have available, will have when used for irrigation. The SAWQI-DSS does, however, have limitations in assessing the fitness-for-use of acidic mine waters as it does not give a comprehensive account of the effects of irrigation water acidity on soil quality, and crop yield and quality. For instance, the fitness-for-use assessments do not indicate the degree of soil acidification or foliar injury associated with the direct effects of irrigation water acidity. Furthermore, the assessments do not indicate how relative yield would be affected by trace element toxicity as it does for Na, Cl, and B. Further studies are therefore required to account for foliar injury resulting from irrigation water acidity, similar to what has been done for foliar injury resulting from irrigation water salinity. There is also a need to incorporate the effects of trace element toxicity on relative yield, similar to what has been done for Na, Cl and B. In cases whereby toxicity thresholds and yield reductions associated with trace element toxicity have not been established, experimental trials should be conducted to fill those knowledge gaps. In addition, the incorporation of health risk assessments associated with trace element accumulation in grain is required.