Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Davis, California » Crops Pathology and Genetics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #306085
Title: The effect of mineral-ion interactions on soil hydraulic conductivity

Author
item BUELOW, MAYA - University Of California
item Steenwerth, Kerri
item PARIKH, SANJAI - University Of California

Submitted to: Agricultural Water Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/14/2015
Publication Date: 4/1/2015
Publication URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378377415000244
Citation: Buelow, M.C., Steenwerth, K.L., Parikh, S.J. 2015. The effect of mineral-ion interactions on soil hydraulic conductivity. Agricultural Water Management. 152:277-285.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The reuse of winery wastewater (WW) for irrigation could provide an alternative water source for wine production. The shift of many wineries and other food processing industries to K+-based cleaners requires studies on the effects of K+ on soil hydraulic conductivity (HC). Soils of contrasting mineralogy were evaluated for changes in soil HC resulting from applications of solutions high in Na+ and K+. Soil mineralogy was anticipated to exhibit a strong influence on HC responses. Depending on clay content and mineral composition, K+ concentrations can affect the HC either positively (like Ca2+) or negatively (like Na+). To examine this relationship, soils dominant in montomorillonite, vermiculite, or kaolinite from the Napa and Lodi wine regions were packed into soil columns to observe changes in soil chemistry and HC. Irrigation with Na+- and K+-rich WW was simulated by applying solutions at sodium absorption ratio (SAR) values of 3, 6, and 9 and potassium absorption ratio (PAR) values of 1, 2, 4, and 9. HC was reduced in the 2:1 clay soils (montmorillonite and vermiculite) for all SAR treatments, while for PAR treatments the reductions in HC varied. At PAR 9, the reduction in HC of the vermiculite was similar to the SAR 9 treatment. The HC of the kaolinitic soil did not decrease with SAR treatments, but did decrease for the high K+ treatments (PAR 4 and 9), which warrants further investigation. Findings from this evaluation of the interaction of Na+ and K+ with three different mineral soils suggest that the reuse of K+-rich WW with low PAR solutions will have no negative effects on HC in any of the soil types included in this study. The effects of increasing PAR were least problematic for montmorillonite dominated soils and most detrimental to the HC of the SJ-ver soil. The presence of minerals with a high affinity for K+ (e.g., vermiculite, mica) in the SJ-ver soil suggest that the interlayer binding of K+ could lead to greater reductions in HC. Full analysis of soil and WW is recommended prior to all land applications.