Quantifying the impacts of varying groundwater table depths on cotton evapotranspiration, yield, water use efficiency, and root zone salinity using lysimeters

Determining the evapotranspiration (ET) of cotton as a water-intensive crop is crucial for effective irrigation planning and water management, especially in regions like Sindh province, Pakistan, where shallow groundwater table depths (WTDs) are prevalent. Despite the importance of cotton, a major cash crop in Sindh, previous studies on ET were conducted decades ago and may no longer be reliable due to ongoing climate change and the introduction of new crop varieties. Thus, we quantified cotton ET across two cropping seasons and at various WTDs (0.45, 0.60, 0.75, 1.50, 2.25, and 2.75 m). The experimental study was based on the data procured from 12 mini lysimeters and 12 large lysimeters for two years (2018 and 2019) and at two soil series. The findings revealed that cotton ET ranged from 1332 to 1437, 1114–1202, 988–1075, 781–821, 690–733, and 637–683 mm at WTDs of 0.45, 0.60, 0.75, 1.50, 2.25, and 2.75 m, respectively. WTDs from 0.45 to 0.75 m fulfilled 94–96 % of cotton ET through groundwater (GW) contribution in Sultanpur soil (silt loam) and 93–97 % in Miani soil (silty clay loam). At 1.50–2.75 m WTDs, irrigation water requirements (excluding rainfall and leaching) were 63–88 % in Sultanpur soil and 67–89 % in Miani soil. The highest yield was observed at a 1.50 m WTD, while the highest water use efficiency was identified at a 2.25 m WTD. However, soil salinity increased by 60–80 %, resulting in a 40–60 % lower cotton yield at 0.45–0.75 m WTD. Therefore, periodic flushing of salts is necessary to utilize shallow WTDs effectively. Considering GW contribution to ET when allocating water for irrigation channels and devising irrigation schedules is crucial. This approach can lead to water savings, prevent land from becoming waterlogged and saline, manage the groundwater table, and reduce the need for drainage channels and labor force for their preparation.