Apparent steady state conditions in high resolution weighing-drainage lysimeters containing date palms grown under different salinities

This study presents a novel investigation of long-term apparent steady state conditions under a prescribed leaching fraction criterion. The research was carried out during a 7-year investigation of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L., cv. Medjool) trees exposed to elevated levels of irrigation water salinity. High resolution weighing lysimeters were designed and constructed to generate an accuracy of ±0.0075mm. The lysimeters were equipped with precision flux data acquisition that measured the oscillations of their daily water storage difference (ΔW) and evapotranspiration. The leaching fraction was kept constant throughout the study.