Suthar et al. (2026) Treated wastewater irrigation supports canola (Brassica napus L.) production in arid agroecosystems without exceeding soil salinity limits

Identification

• Journal: Agricultural Water Management
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-08-29
• Authors: Jhaman Das Suthar, Girisha K. Ganjegunte, Rahmatullah Hashimi, April Ulery, Vijayasatya N. Chaganti, Qingwu Xue, Rajan K. Shrestha, Santosh Subhash Palmate, Samuel D. Zapata, Saurav Kumar
• DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110735

Research Groups

• Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso, Texas A&M University System
• Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University
• School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
• Texas A&M AgriLife High Plain Research and Extension Center
• Department of Agricultural Economics, Texas A&M University
• School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, Arizona State University

Short Summary

This study evaluates the use of treated municipal wastewater as an alternative irrigation source for canola production in arid agroecosystems. The results show that canola seed and straw yields did not differ significantly between freshwater and treated wastewater irrigation, and soil salinity limits were not exceeded.

Objective

• Assess the growth performance and seed yield potential of selected spring canola varieties grown under irrigation with treated municipal wastewater.
• Examine changes in soil chemical properties associated with wastewater irrigation to support the development of appropriate management practices.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Field study conducted at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Farm, El Paso, Texas, USA.
• Temporal Scale: Two-year field experiment (2022–2023 and 2024–2025) with sowing in October and harvesting in April.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: None mentioned.
• Data sources: Field measurements of soil electrical conductivity, pH, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), electrochemical stability index (ESI), nitrate-N, phosphate-P, and major soluble cations and anions in the saturated paste extract.

Main Results

• Canola seed and straw yields did not differ significantly between freshwater and treated wastewater irrigation.
• Soil salinity limits were not exceeded under treated wastewater irrigation.
• Electrical conductivity increased progressively with depth and time under both freshwater and treated wastewater irrigation.
• Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) increased from the baseline to the two postharvest seasons under both irrigation types.

Contributions

• This study provides insights into the use of treated municipal wastewater as an alternative irrigation source for canola production in arid agroecosystems.
• The results highlight the potential for sustainable water reuse in agriculture and inform crop selection strategies for arid regions.

Funding

• Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at El Paso, Texas A&M University System (project code not specified).
• Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University (project code not specified).

Citation

@article{Suthar2026Treated,
  author = {Suthar, Jhaman Das and Ganjegunte, Girisha K. and Hashimi, Rahmatullah and Ulery, April and Chaganti, Vijayasatya N. and Xue, Qingwu and Shrestha, Rajan K. and Palmate, Santosh Subhash and Zapata, Samuel D. and Kumar, Saurav},
  title = {Treated wastewater irrigation supports canola (Brassica napus L.) production in arid agroecosystems without exceeding soil salinity limits},
  journal = {Agricultural Water Management},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110735},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2026.110735}
}