Waterlogging Tolerance

More than one third of the world’s irrigated areas suffer occasional or more frequent waterlogging (Donmann and Houston, 1967). Waterlogging has been shown to limit wheat yields in many regions of the world; an area estimated at 10 million ha is waterlogged each year in developing countries (Sayre et al., 1994). Waterlogging occurs when rainfall or irrigation water collects on the soil surface for prolonged periods without infiltrating the soil. Soil characteristics that contribute to waterlogging include soil physical properties that allow formation of a crust on the soil surface or of a pan in the subsoil. Waterlogging can also occur when the amount of water added through rainfall or irrigation is more than what can percolate into the soil within one or two days.