Evaluation of amelioration treatments and economic aspects of using saline–sodic water for rice and wheat production on salt-affected soils under arid land conditions

✍ Scribed by A. Ghafoor; G. Murtaza; B. Ahmad; Th. M. Boers

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 100 KB
• Volume: 57
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1531-0353
• DOI: 10.1002/ird.377

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

This paper reports the amelioration of saline–sodic soils with gypsum and/or farm manure in a 3‐year rice–wheat rotation at three sites, using saline–sodic waters. The treatments were: (1) irrigation with saline–sodic water without amendment (control); (2) gypsum at 50% gypsum requirement of soil (G50); (3) farm manure at 25 Mg ha^−1^ annually before rice (FM); and (4) gypsum at 25% gypsum requirement of soil along with 25 Mg ha^−1^ of farm manure (G25 + FM). Soil salinity/sodicity at all sites decreased, treatment effectiveness order being G50 > G25 + FM > FM > control. Crop growth, grain yield and net benefits were found to be directly proportional to the treatment reclamation effectiveness. For economic yields of rice and wheat crops from saline–sodic soils and water, gypsum at least at 50% GR once or gypsum at 25% GR once along with 25 Mg FM ha^−1^ each year are required. Owing to high net benefit, G50 proved the best treatment at all the sites, the value being the highest for site 2 followed by sites 1 and 3. A high net benefit on farmers' fields with farmer participation implicitly highlighted the added advantage of farmers' skills for agronomic operations since the farmer at site 2 was more skilful. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.