Fifth Asian Soil Partnership workshop 26 February - 1 March 2019, New Delhi, India Parbodh C. Sharma, ICAR - Central Soil Salinity Research Insititute, Karnal

1. Exploiting Salt Affected Soils and
Poor Quality Waters for
Food Security in India
Parbodh Chander Sharma
Director
ICAR-Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal

2. Extent and distribution of salt affected soils in India
Source: www.cssri.org
• Globally, 810 million ha salt
affected – (sodicity 434 m ha),
salinity (376 m ha)
• India- 6.73 m ha salt affected
(sodic-3.77 m ha, saline 2.96 m
ha)
• 16.25 m ha by 2050
• 32-84% of ground water used
for irrigation is either saline or
brackish
• 10 million ha of land lost each
year because of salinity caused by
irrigation (George E. Brown Jr.
Salinity Lab, 2006)

3. State Saline Sodic Total
Andhra Pradesh 77598 196609 274207
Andaman & Nicobar Island 77000 0 77000
Bihar 47301 105852 153153
Gujarat 1680570 541430 2222000
Haryana 49157 183399 232556
Karnataka 1893 148136 150029
Kerala 20000 0 20000
Madhya Pradesh 0 139720 139720
Maharashtra 184089 422670 606759
Orissa 147138 0 147138
Punjab 0 151717 151717
Rajasthan 195571 179371 374942
Tamil Nadu 13231 354784 368015
Uttar Pradesh 21989 1346971 1368960
West Bengal 441272 0 441272
Total 2956809 3770659 6727468
Projections by 2030 : 11.25 million ha
State wise Area of Salt Affected Soils of India

4. 0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Uttar
Pradesh
Gujarat Haryana Bihar other
States
7.55
2.11
0.60 0.50 0.42
Milliontonnes
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
8075
5150
655 506 264 106 259
₹ Crores
a) Annual production losses b) Annual monetary losses
11.18 million tonnes foodgrain loss and
₹ 15,000 crores economic loss
State-wise Losses due to Alkalinity
Source: CSSRI Tech. Bulletin, 5/2015
Contd…

5. ₹ Millions
a) Annual production losses b) Annual monetary losses
0.0
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0 2.70
0.92 0.89
0.40
0.20 0.17 0.14 0.12 0.10
Milliontonnes
5.66 million tonnes food grain loss
₹ 8,000 crores economic loss
State-wise Losses due to Salinity
Source: CSSRI Tech. Bulletin, 5/2015
Contd…

6. Increase of Area under SAS in last 20 Years
Salt Affected Soils in Haryana in 1996: 2.3 lakh ha
2016: 3.1 lakh ha
Haryana
(1996)
Haryana
(2016)
Saline: 0.5 lakh ha, Sodic : 1.8 lakh ha Saline : 1.4 lakh ha, Sodic : 1.7 lakh ha

7. Deterioration in Groundwater Quality
1975-79 2012-16Agra District (Inland)
Prakasam (Coastal)
Contd…

8. Distribution of salt affected soils in Haryana
Sr. No. District Source Saline Soil (ha) Alakli Soil (ha) Total (ha)
1. Ambala Mandal et al. 2010 842 4222 5064
2. Bhiwani Sethi et al 2012 3005 12953 15958
3. Fatehabad CSSRI (2014-15) 4414 7200 11614
4. Faridabad CSSRI (2014-15) 7244 1393 8637
5. Gurgaon CSSRI (2014-15) 9314 0 9314
6. Hisar Mandal et al. 2010 33375 870 34245
7. Kaithal CSSRI (2013-14) 871 9812 10683
8. Karnal NRSA 2014 21 19162 19183
9. Kurukshetra NRSA 2014 0 15873 15873
10. Jind Sethi et al 2012 3170 8635 11805
11. Jhajjar Sethi et al 2012 33784 7762 41546
12. Mewat CSSRI (2014-15) 7532 1302 8834
13. Panipat NRSA 2014 0 7514 7514
14. Palwal CSSRI (2014-15) 5590 4443 10033
15. Rewari CSSRI (2014-15) 7293 0 7293
16. Rohtak Sethi et al 2012 21999 10634 32633
17. Sirsa Mandal et al. 2010 0 30311 30311
18. Sonepat NRSA 2014 6600 28477 35077
Total 145054 170563 315617

9. Sources of Salts in Soils
Weathering of Minerals Saline and Shallow water table
Flooding/ seepage Impeded Drainage conditions

10. Environmental Impact of Salinity
Crumbling Buildings Patchy growth of crops
Total loss of vegetation Complete failure of crops

11. Alkali Soils
Barren alkali soils Black coloration due to dispersed organic matter
Cracking and surface crusting of illitic soils

12. •In India, the coastal
ecosystem covers an
area of 10.78 m ha along
7517 km long coastline.
•In coastal area 3.1 m ha is
salt affected.
•This region is
traditionally
disadvantaged and
backward with low
livelihood security of the
people.
Coastal salt affected area

13. Achievements: ICAR-CSSRI
Gypsum technology for alkali
soils
Sub surface drainage technology
for saline soils
Reclaimed 2.07 million ha Reclaimed 70,000 ha
• Additional Food Grain Production 16 million tonnes
• Employment Generation 210 million mandays
• Benefitting 10 million people

14. Gypsum technology for alkali soils
• Net Present worth Rs 56,000/- ha; B:C ratio 1.52
• Internal rate of return 21.40%, Pay back period 3 years
Cumulative area reclaimed : 20.7 lakh ha
1st year yields 4 t rice/ 2 t wheat 3rd year yields 5 t rice/ 4 t wheat
• Additional Food Grain Production 16 million tonnes
• Employment Generation 310 million mandays
• Benefitting 10 million people

15.  Gypsum
application in
upper 15 cm soil
depth
 Nutreint
management:
requires 25% more
nitrogen
 Low infiltration
rates
 High evaporation
leads to secondary
salinization
Alkali Soils management

16. • Land Reclamation Corporations
• WB & EU to fund reclamation
programmes in UP & Bihar
• About 2.07 million ha of alkali land
reclaimed
• 15-16 million tonnes of paddy-wheat/
annum
• 175 million mandays generated
Impacts
Blooming Sodic Soils

17. Sub surface drainage technology for saline soils
Cumulative Area Reclaimed 70,084 ha
• Additional Food Grain Production 6 lakh tonnes
• Employment Generation 12 million mandays
• Cost per hectare: Rs 1.11 lakhs
25-100 % improvement in cropping intensity Yield increase of 45% in rice,
111% in wheat and 215% in cotton

18. Management of Waterlogged Saline Soils
Average increase in productivity: 45% (Paddy),
111% (Wheat), 215% (Cotton)
• Generation of additional mandays -
128 man-days/ha/yr
• Large scale adoption of technology in
Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, AP

19. Installation of Sub-surface drainage system

20. State Wise Drainage Area Covered
(*Under Implementation/ Approved Projects)
Average increase in productivity: 45% (Paddy), 111% (Wheat), 215% (Cotton)
Irrigation

21. Resource Inventories on Poor Quality Waters
 Use of PQW in
some states ranges
from 32-84% of
total groundwater
use
 Saline water use
20%
 Sodic water use
37%
 Saline sodic water
use 43%

22. • Tolerance limits defined under different agro-ecological regions
• About 3.2 M ha poor quality GW, out of 13.2 M ha total GW used for
crop production.
• Contributed in foodgrain production of around Rs. 800 crores
generating significant employment & protecting environment
Management of poor quality waters

23. Fluoride toxicity symptoms in humans and animals
Emerging Water Quality Problems

24. Arsenic toxicity symptoms in humans

25. Auger holes by tractor mounted
augers
Afforestation in sodic land using auger
hole technology
Alternative land use system

26. Bio-saline agro-forestry for dry regions
Aegel marmelos recorded highest fruit yield (3.78,
3.52 and 3.16 t ha-1) followed by Carissa carandas
and Emblica officinalis in low, alternate and high
salinity irrigations, respectively.
The grain yield of companion crop mustard was
more (1.72, 1.68 and 1.59 tha-1) in Emblica
officinalis in comparison to that in Carissa
carandas and Aegel marmelos.
Prosopis alba with mustard-pearlmillet, barley-
pearlmillet and Aloe vera agro-forestry system;
performed well with low to moderately saline
water.

27. Evaluation of Cactus and Prosopis for arid
biosaline agro forestry
 Increase in salinity from normal to 6.1 dSm-1
reduced number of cladodes and biomass by
29/28% without fertilizer, 22/23% with NPK
and ~21% with NPK + FYM
 Similarly decrease in number of cladodes and
biomass with increasing alkalinity from 7.2 to
9.8 was 72/69, 73/70 and 68/72%, respectively
 Prosopis juliflora followed by P. alba amd P.
glandulosa recorded better growth and biomass
potential
 Polarding improved all growth parameters in
all the three species over pruning and no
pruning

28. Alternative land use system
1. More than 2 tones ha-1 of
fruit yield was obtained by
growing aonla after 6 years
and karonda after 12 years
of plantation
Banana is a promising
crop after 5-6 years of
reclamation of sodic soils.
Basil and matricaria are the
promising crops in reclaimed
sodic soils.

29. Rice – 10 No
CSR 10, CSR 13
CSR 23, CSR 27
Basmati CSR 30, CSR
36, CSR 43, CSR 46,
CSR 56, CSR 60
Wheat – 5 No
KRL 1-4, KRL 19
KRL 210, KRL 213
KRL 283
Mustard - 5 No
CS 52, CS 54
CS 56, CS 58
CS 60
• Breeder and Certified seed during last 5 years : >70 tonnes
• Estimated Area covered by CSSRI varieties : > 8 lakh ha / year
• Estimated production due to CSSRI varieties : > 9 lakh tonnes/ year
Rice (Coastal salinity) - 3
Sumati, Bhutnath, Amal mana
Chickpea - 1
Karnal Chana 1
Crop Improvement for Salinity, Alkalinity and
Waterlogging Stresses

31. EC =22
EC =25

32. The aroma of basmati rice symbolizes the emotions and exuberance of Indian heritage.
Basmati rice is generally unable to grow in salt affected lands. In its context Central Soil
Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, developed the first ever salt tolerant basmati rice
variety CSR30. It takes about 155 days for maturity. It tolerates soil sodicity up to pH2 9.5
and salinity up to 7.0 dSm-1. This variety yields app 25 q /ha under stress situation.
Basmati CSR 30

33. 1. Lunishree – NRRI Cuttack
2. Jarava – DRR Hyderabad
3. Vikas – HAU Haryana
4. Vyttila 1, Vyttila 2, Vyttila 3, Vyttila4, Vyttila 5, Vyttila 6, VTL
7, VTL 8, Ezhome-1 , Ezhome-3 , Amritha – KAU, Kerala
5. Panvel 1, Panvel 2, Panvel 3,- Panvel, Maharastra
6. MCM 1, - Machallipatanam, Andhra Pradesh
7. SR26B, Sonamani - Orissa
8. PVR-1,CO 43, ASD 16, TRY 1, TRY 2 – TNAU, Tamil Nadu
9. Dandi - Gujarat
10. Usar dhan 1, Narendra Usar dhan 2, Narendra Usar dhan 3 –
Uttar Pradesh
Released salt tolerant rice varieties in India

34. Land shaping techniques:
•Improve rainwater harvesting and drainage for enhancing productivity of low
lying degraded salt affected coastal land
•Integrated cultivation of crops and fishes
•Cultivation of multiple and diversified crops including stress tolerant rice,
horticultural crops and their improved varieties for degraded saline
Farm pond technique Paddy–cum-fish under
agroforestry
Deep furrow high
ridge
Integration of stress tolerant rice in farming system

35. Land shaping techniques:
Overall impacts
Implemented area 370 ha
House hold involved 2000 nos.
Enhancement of crop intensity of mono cropped land Up to 240 %
Harvest of rain water for irrigation 1304500 m3
Employment generation (man days in 4 yr) Total: 511574 (Rs. 11.26 cores)
Per ha: 1280 (Rs.2,81,600)
Net Income generation Rs. 2-3 lakhs ha-1 (Sundarbans)
Rs. 3-3.5 lakhs ha-1 (A&N Islands)
Soil salinity reduction 40-65 %
C sequestration 8700 t

36. How we can sustain the
productivity?
 By increasing yields per hectare while
addressing the issue of water, labour and
energy
 by designing next generation cereal systems
that are highly productive, resource efficient,
sustainable, and adapted to the expected
changes in environmental and socioeconomic
drivers.
 increasing profitability by changing land uses.

37. Resources status in NW India
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Carbon
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Sulphur
Potassium

38. Crop establishment method in different scenarios

40. Sowing of wheat in rice residue

41. Scenario 1
Scenario 4
Scenario 3
Scenario 2
Crop establishment in different scenarios

42. Precision N and water management in
Rice at CSSRI- CIMMYT platform

43. Precision N and water management in
Maize at CSSRI- CIMMYT platform

44. Scenario Systems Residue
management
Rice Wheat
Productivity
(Mg ha-1)
Irrigation
water
(mm ha-1)
Productivity
(Mg ha-1)
Irrigation
water (mm
ha-1)
I- farmers
practice
Rice-wheat
(CT/TPR)
No residue
7.51 1890 5.47 408.7
II-
partial CA
based
Rice-wheat-
mungbean
(TPR-ZT-ZT)
Full (100%) rice &
mungbean and
anchored wheat
7.39 (-2) 1560 (-
17)
5.72 (5) 349.3 (-15)
III-
full CA
based
Rice-wheat-
mungbean (ZT-
ZT-ZT)
Full (100%) rice and
mungbean;
anchored wheat
5.88 (-22) 1420 (-
25)
6.35 (16) 357.3 (-16)
IV-
full CA
based
Maize-wheat-
mungbean (ZT-
ZT-ZT)
Maize (65%) and full
mungbean and
anchored wheat
8.20 (9) 110 (-88) 6.53(19) 336.7 (-18)
V-
full CA+
based
with SSD
Rice-wheat-
mungbean (ZT-
ZT-ZT)
Full (100%) rice and
mungbean;
anchored wheat
6.21 (-17) 620 (-67) 6.79 (24) 187.5 (-54)
VI-
full CA+
based
with SSD
Maize-wheat-
mungbean (ZT-
ZT-ZT)
Maize (65%) and full
mungbean and
anchored wheat
7.86 (5) 86 (-95) 6.76 (23) 171.6 (-58)
*In parenthesis= % change from scenario 1
Yield, water use and energy input under different
scenarios during 2016-17

45. Scenarios Residue
load (t/ha)
after six
yrs
Organic
carbon
(%) after
six yrs
Microbial
biomass
carbon (µg
g-1 dry soil)
Diversity
Index (SW
Div H) after
5 yrs
Protein
content (%)
in wheat
after 5 yrs
1 - 0.50 441 2.52 9.5
2 78.5 0.70 554 2.96 10.6
3 74.5 0.84 626 3.07 11.2
4 98.6 0.94 681 3.27 10.5
Effect of different CA based
scenarios on soil properties and
grain quality
*Initial OC was 0.45%

46. Zero-tillage and residue retention as mulch reduce
weeds and herbicide use in wheat)
Conventional system
(Puddled TPR fb CT
wheat)
CA-based system
(ZT-DSR fb ZT wheat)
Herbicides can be skipped in
alternate year after 2 crop
cycles of ZT with residue in
wheat.
ZT with full rice residue as
mulch
- Inhibit emergence
- More predation
- less seed production

47. Fertilizer Management
Rice- after 4 years reduce the urea dose
by 15-20% in Scenario 2
Wheat- after 4 year reduce the urea dose
by 15-30 % in scenario 2, 3 and 4
Mungbean- No fertilizer application

48. Grain quality improved with CA ?
Scenario Crop
rotation
Test
Weight
(kg/hl)
Protein
Content (%)
Wet Gluten
(%)
I Rice-Wheat 72.6 9.5 21.5
II Rice-Wheat-
Moongbean
77.0 10.6 (11) 23.9
III DSR-Wheat-
Moongbean
74.1 11.2 (18) 25.4
IV Maize-Wheat-
Moongbean
75.1 10.5 (10) 23.3
*Wheat quality measured after 6 years of continuous cultivation at RP Karnal
*In parenthesis= % change from scenario 1

49. Laser land leveling
Other Technologies
Biodrainage
Gravel 10-18 mm
1.25 m 1.25 m
1.25 mG.L.
G.L.
Surface channel
Coarse sand
Boulder 8 cm
Plastic pipe
Reducer 4” x 6”
Reflux valve
Bore well (250 mm )
Well pipe (blind PVC, 100 mm )
Gravel (10-18 mm )
Well pipe (perforated, 100 mm )
Synthetic PVC filter
Well pipe (perforated, 175 mm 
Working chamber
2 m 
Brick
masonary
Pump
Platform
6 m
3m
24 m
6 m
0.6 m
0.6 m
0.3 m
5 m
Gravel (10-18 mm )
Gravel (5 mm )
Groundwater Recharge

50. Coastal region: Challenges for Agriculture
Boro/Rabi/summer Aman/Kharif
80% fallow
Fresh water scarcity &
salinity
Rabi rice -3 t/ha
Deep water logging & drainage
congestion
Traditional kharif - 2 t/ha
-10
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Waterdepth(cm)
Soilsalinity(dS/m)
Months
Soil Salinity Water depth

51. Coastal area average rainfall is > 2000 mm

53. Multiple cropping with Deep Furrow and High Ridge LS
Paddy-cum
fish(kharif) & low
water requiring
crops (Rabi)
Fish
(kharif)
Vegetables round
the year

54. Kharif:
Paddy-cum-fish Paddy (SR26 B) : 3.92 t ha-1
Indian major carps: 1.112 t ha-1

55. Management of waterlogged sodic/saline soils
2.2 million ha

57. Application and impact of CSR-BIO
CSR-BIO Control
Sodic soil
Normal soil
35
44
20.45
25
32
21.8
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Control Treated % increase
Tomato Bhendi
Yieldt/
9
6
2 1.4
0
10
20
30
40
50
Treated Control
Bhendi Wheat
Yieldt