Amelioration and Management Strategies for Salt-Affected Soils

Routine irrigation and crop management practices usually cannot decrease excess concentrations of salts in soils with time. Such situations warrant the amelioration of salt-affected soils. From a soil amelioration perspective, there are two distinct and significant groups of salt-affected soils: (1) saline soils and (2) sodic, saline-sodic, and magnesium-affected soils. While the amelioration processes for both the groups require the removal of salts from the soil to desirable levels, they differ from each other as one deals with the removal of soluble salts only (saline soils) while the other essentially requires the removal of excess Na+ (sodic and saline-sodic soils) and Mg2+ (magnesium-affected soil). A century-old record reveals several site-specific methods to ameliorate various salt-affected soils. However, ameliorating salt-affected soils involves several challenges and limitations that can impede the success of soil amelioration efforts. Addressing these restrictions requires integrated and sustainable approaches, considering the local environmental, economic, and social contexts.