ABSTRACT
The study builds on assessment of arsenic (As) in a matched set of irrigation water, paddy soil, and rice grain from 60 individual rice fields across the Punjab plains of Pakistan. One rice field with high As in soil was selected along Ravi river flood plain, to see the effects of sprinkler irrigation on translocation of As into rice grain. The rice field was divided into two equal parts; one was irrigated with traditional method (flooded irrigation) whereas other was irrigated with sprinkler irrigation (non-flooded). The As translocation to grain was reduced from 0.005 ± 0.005 mg/kg to 0.002 ± 0.002 by creating aerobic condition through sprinkler irrigation. The total amount of water pumped to grow rice via tube well was 2000 mm compared to 1018 mm used in sprinkler irrigation; clearly suggest the water saving of almost 50%. Despite of less water applied, the yield of rice crop is not affected and was found to be 2000 kg/ha in flooded system and 1950 kg/ha in sprinkler irrigation system.
