Yearly change in severely salt-damaged areas in paddy fields in Ban Phai in Northeast Thailand

Abstract

: Future expansion of salt-damaged areas is anticipated in Northeast Thailand. We conducted a field investigation of paddy fields from 2016 to 2019 in Ban Phai district, Khon Kaen province in Northeast Thailand to evaluate yearly changes in the effect of salinity damage on rice production. The investigation area was classified into severely salt-affected areas (2 nd of 5 classes) based on the definition used in Thailand. Since salinity severely damages rice produc‐ tion, rice cultivation was abandoned in some fields, although some were still planted. The soil electrical con‐ ductivity (EC) in the rice-planted paddy fields changed yearly in association with the amount of precipitation. The effect of the difference in EC on rice yield was moderate, suggesting that rice yield was mediated by surface water. Some areas in the abandoned fields did not have any vege‐ tation, and quite high soil EC values were observed. The non-vegetated areas evaluated based on yearly unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images changed partly due to the amount of precipitation. However, some non-vegetated areas decreased in contrast to the decrease in precipitation, probably because of the effect of groundwater. Although the continuous expansion of severely salt-damaged areas was not observed, the monitoring of salinity levels is rec‐ ommended for the future.