Muhammad Rafiq,Ahmad Nawaz Gill, Fida Hussain,Zafar Iqbal, Muhammad Aslam ,Shazia Saeed
Higher levels of electrical conductivity in irrigation water reduces osmotic potential and causes linear reduction in crops yield. The studies to have an assessment of the impact of saline water on wheat crop water productivity was carried out using irrigation water with EC=0.4 ds m-1 (Control), EC=1.875 ds m-1, EC=4.805 ds m-1, and EC=6.126 ds m-1. Results of the study depicted linear decrease in plant height  from 105 to 95.43 cm with increasing salinity  from 0.4 - 6.126 dS m-1 and  5.78% reduction in tillers/m2 . Similarly there was 15.68 % reduction in spike length, 8.55 % reduction in 1000-grain weight and 24.50 %   gain yield decrease as the water quality changed from low saline (EC = 0.4 dS m-1) to very high saline water (EC= 6.126 dS m-1). The highest water productivity was observed for good canal water. Water productivity values of 1.024, 0.972, 0.836 and 0.774 kg m-3 was obtained with the application water having 0.4,1.875, 4.805 and 6.126 ds m-1 of EC; respectively. On the basis of these studies it is concluded that sustained application of saline water deteriorates soil health in the long run and proves counter-productive to growth. Low quality irrigation water adversely affects the physical and chemical characteristics of soils as well as crop yields
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