Scientists recommend advanced methods to determine soil salinity

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Karnal, February 16

Scientists from six countries and experts from 15 states across India jointly recommended using advanced methods to determine the salinity and sodicity in the soil during a three-day international conference held on ‘Rejuvenating Salt Affected Ecologies for Land Degradation Neutrality under Changing Climate’ at Central Soil and Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI) here.

Amendments for reclaiming sodic soil

• CSSRI Director RK Yadav said scientists and experts recommended five measures, including the development of such methods that can help in the real-time assessment and monitoring of salt-affected soil across the world
• Besides, they recommended alternative amendments for the reclamation of sodic soil so that the soil can be productively used for cultivation, he added
• He further said the scientists stressed clear policies for reclamation and their productive utilisation at the government level

Sharing details, CSSRI Director RK Yadav said during the three-day conference, scientists from Australia, Ethiopia, Japan, Egypt, CIMMYT Mexico, India and Bangladesh, along with experts from 15 states of the country, discussed various challenges being faced by farmers and scientists across the world due to salinity and sodicity of soil. He said the scientists and experts recommended five measures, including the development of methods that can help in the real-time assessment and monitoring of salt-affected soil across the world.

Besides, they recommended alternative amendments for the reclamation of sodic soil so that the soil can be productively used for cultivation, he added. He said sodic areas spanning across approximately 0.4 million hectares of land had been successfully reclaimed.

He further said the scientists stressed clear policies for reclamation and the productive utilisation at the government level.

Gurbachan Singh, former Chairman of Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board, said the scientists expressed their will to work jointly to control and improve the situation across the world for the betterment of the farming community. He emphasised the need for the development of alternate land methods in highly degraded conditions.

Former CSSRI Director DK Sharma emphasised synergy among all countries and institutions working on the reclamation and management of salt-affected soil.