In salt-affected soils agroforestry is a promising option

Abstract

Crop production in saline and sodic soils is neither feasible nor economically profitable. This is due to the specific soil and water related constraints of these soils. Saline soils have excessive amounts of soluble salts which adversely affect the growth of most crop plants. Similarly, the high exchangeable sodium present in sodic soils is injurious to most crop plants. Traditionally, leaching with good quality water is recommended to make the saline soils suitable for crop production. Sodic soil reclamation requires the removal of toxic exchangeable sodium by calcium ions in the root zone. This is mainly achieved by gypsum application. However, the efficacy of both the management practices is limited by the scarcity of good quality water and gradually diminishing gypsum supply. This scenario has necessitated the development of alternative technologies for the sustainable management of these resource poor and challenging environments. The article highlights the agroforestry techniques developed by the CSSRI, Karnal which can enable the economic exploitation of such marginal lands.