Irrigation management strategies through the combination of fresh water and desalinated sea water for banana crops in El Hierro, Canary Islands

Abstract

The current lack of natural water resources, mainly due to the absence of sufficient precipitation and the deterioration of irrigation water (IW) quality, urgently requires a search for alternative resources, especially in arid and semiarid areas. Desalination of sea water is well established in numerous regions where water is scarce. To investigate the effects of the combination of regular fresh water and desalinated sea water (DSW) on mineral nutrient changes in crops, an experimental system based on Musa acuminata AAA plants was performed in Frontera (El Hierro, Canary Islands). Data showed that banana crops irrigated with a mixture of fresh water and DSW exhibited an adequate nutritional status and did not suffer any injuries of salt ions (Naþ and Cl ) or B toxicity. Moreover, plants may tolerate higher concentrations of these elements and a major supply of the other essential micronutrients. The obtained results suggest that irrigating crops with a combination of fresh water and DSW is a good strategy to respond to the high water requirements, at least under the tested experimental conditions. This strategy could be very helpful in arid regions, as well as in other areas where precipitation is seasonal and scarce, like the Mediterranean or the Canaries.