Soil Salinity Research Institute, Pindi Bhattian

Salinity is a particular problem in irrigated agriculture and tackling of this problem is very crucial for achieving food security. Several control and management strategies, such as application of gypsum and organic manures (press mud, poultry manure, FYM, compost wheat & rice straw), followed by irrigation are essential for tackling salinity problem. The acute shortage of canal water compelled the farmers to utilize the tube well water. About 70 % of tube well irrigation water is unfit for crop production. The sole use of brackish tube well water is also contributing towards salinity. The management of tube well water has considerable importance for reclamation of salt affected soils and growing of crops. Two main strategies to control and manage the soil salinization are

• Get rid of salinity. 
• Living with salinity.

Get rid of salinity refers to reclamations of salt affected soil by which salts are leached down out that allow & salts to be washed out of the root zone of crops. Living with salinity is more pragmatic approach which refers to the ways of adapting crops to more saline conditions. For example, cultivation of salt tolerant crops/plant varieties.

Objectives

• Economic utilization of salt affected soils
• Development of reclamation technology for salt affected soils
• Improvement of plant nutrition in salt affected soils
• Screening & evolution of salt tolerant crop varieties
• Development of crop production technology for salt affected soils
• Management of brackish water for crop production
• Advisory services to farmers for utilization of brackish water and salt affected soils

Research Activities

Following are the research activities of the institute

Development of technology for reclamation of salt affected soil

• To study the impact of poultry litter incubated with gypsum on physio-chemical properties of saline sodic soil.
• Use of Gypsum, Poultry manure, FYM, Rice straw, Press mud for rehabilitation of salt-affected soils.
• To determine the effect of biochar application for improving physio-chemical properties of moderately salt affected soil
• To study the long-term effect of crop residue management on yield of wheat-rice system and soil physico-chemical properties of moderately salt affected soils

Development of technology for management of brackish water

• To manage the deleterious effects of saline-sodic water on wheat productivity by foliar spray salicylic acid
• To manage the deleterious effects of brackish water on fodder productivity with application of gypsum, FYM and H₂SO₄
• To compare different sources of Nitrogen using brackish water for better yield of Barley and Rice
• To investigate the role of exogenous application of salicylic acid in alleviation of detrimental effects of saline water on yield of Brinjal and Turnip    
• To monitor the long-term effect of brackish tube well water on physico-chemical properties of soil and its sustainable management for successful crop production under rice-wheat rotation.
• To assess quality of tube well water installed by farmers and disseminate technologies for its safe usage.

Development of crop production technology for salt affected soil

• To determine the suitable dose of nitrogen for growing spring planted promising maize hybrids in slight to moderately salt affected soils
• To determine the optimum sowing method for getting maximum yield of rye grass in moderately salt affected soils
• To determine the interactive response of melatonin and salicylic acid seed priming for maximizing wheat crop yield in salt affected soil  
• To introduce the sinapis alba and optimizing the best sowing method for crop diversification in salt affected areas
• To study the performance of three bio drainage plants, e.g., Eucalyptus, Arjun and Acacia Ampliceps in water logged soils.

Management of plant nutrition in salt affected soil

• To determine optimum rate of potassium for yield improvement of oats in saline sodic soil
• To determine optimum rate of zinc for yield improvement of barley in saline- sodic soil
• To determine optimum rate of potassium application for yield improvement of rye grass in saline sodic soil
• To determine optimum rate of sulphur for yield improvement of canola in saline- sodic soil

Screening of varieties of crops / fruit plants against Salinity/ sodicity

• To evaluate the yield and quality performance of oat germplasm for salt tolerance
• To study the performance of different varieties of Rhodes grass in saline sodic soil under field condition  
• To study the forage yield performance of rye grass against different salinity and sodicity levels in pots
• To evaluate the yield performance of different grasses against different salinity and sodicity levels in lysimeter
• To collect, maintain and multiply the grasses germplasm for assuring the availability of material for future research.
• To evaluate the yield and quality performance of berseem germplasm for salt tolerance
• To evaluate the yield and quality performance of sorghum germplasm for salt tolerance
• To evaluate the yield and quality performance of pearl millet germplasm for salt tolerance
• To preserve the genetic stock / gene pool for future breeding Programme
• To find out suitable lines/varieties of rice and wheat having better yield potential under salt affected soil.
• To find out suitable wheat advance line from NUYT material having better yield potential for salt affected soil.

New Research Initiatives 

• Collection, maintenance and comparative biomass production ability of perennial grasses, forages for testing in salt affected soils. 
• Screening/performance of oil seeds varieties in salinesodic soil. 
• Technologies for brackish water management in salt affected soils. 
• Role of Biochar during rehabilitation of salt affected soil. 
• Response of Canola to sulphur application in saline sodic soil. 
• Performance of bio drainage plantations in water logged soils.

Achievements

Following are the research achievements of the institute

• Deteriorated physical properties of dense saline sodic soil can be restored by addition of sand or gypsum coupled with Farmyard Manure, press mud and sesbania green manure
• Utilization of poor quality irrigation water continuously without any management practices affected the soil bulk density, total porosity and hydraulic conductivity negatively
• Application of gypsum and H2SO4 @ 100% of GR proved beneficial for improving the hydraulic conductivity of soil
• Fourteen medicinal plants were tested against salinity levels (ECe 4.0 to 8.0 dS m-1) and sodicity levels [SAR (mmol L-1)1/2 13, 25, 35]. About 50% reduction in biomass of White zeeri, Kalvanji, Taramira and Hina was recorded at ECe 8(dS m-1) with SAR 35 (mmol L-1)1/2. While same reduction was found in Podina and Qulfa at ECe 8 (dS m-1) and SAR 25 (mmol L-1)1/2. Aloe Vera, Coriander, Methra Niazbo, Methi and Linseed performed better at ECe 8 (dS m-1) and SAR 35 (mmol L-1)1/2 than all other tested medicinal plants
• Application of gypsum on soil GR basis +10 % leaching fraction with tube well water after wheat harvest was equally effective with green manuring of Sesbania + 10 % additional canal water for successful utilization of sodic water and improvement of porosity, bulk density and hydraulic conductivity
• Brackish water along with H2SO4 application @ 25% on RSC basis of tube well water, improved strawberry yield many times than tube water application alone followed by poultry manure application @ 10 t. ha-1 along with tube water application
• Alternate irrigation of H2SO4 after 1st, 2nd and 3rd irrigations of tube well water (brackish water) is successful to minimize the yield losses
• Combination of water salinity and sodicity proved more harmful as compared to single parameter when going beyond permissible limits and reduced the crop yield. Saline water can be used providing leaching fraction (10 – 25%) and application of FYM (10 – 20 t. ha-1) and sodic water may be used with application of gypsum
• Treatment of tube well water with gypsum, H2SO4, CaCl2 and HCl, is successful for the production of crops and soil health
• Brackish water along with soil gypsum application @ 100% GR of tube-well water proved useful for rice - wheat cultivation in saline- sodic soil
• The technology for using medium quality sub-soil water and canal water in a cycle manner is standardized. Water can be used safely for the reclamation of saline sodic soil when gypsum is added to match with the requirement of soil as well as irrigation water
• Gypsum application @ 100% soil gypsum requirement with H2SO4 at the rate of 50 and 100 kg acre-1 proved equally good, in enhancing the solubility and reclamation efficiency of gypsum; however, H2SO4 at the rate of 50 kg acre-1 is the most economical and optimum level for improving the yield of rice and wheat crop in salt affected soils and reducing soil pH, ECe, SAR and improving bulk density and hydraulic conductivity
• Hyacinth compost @ 10 and 15 t. ha-1 with gypsum @ 50 % of GR performed equally in improving the yield and yield parameters of rice and wheat crops and soil properties. Therefore, integrated use of gypsum @ 50 % of GR+ hyacinth compost @ 10 t. ha-1, proved more economical and potential agro ecological strategy for amelioration of salt affected soils and crop production
• Increasing levels of salinity and sodicity had negative impact on all plant growth parameters of Conocarpus erectus i.e., stem diameter, plant height, number of leaves and number of branches. Furthermore due to dual stress of salinity and sodicity, maximum reduction in growth attributes over control was observed in parameters salt level
• Gypsum @ 100% GR and CaCl2 @ 50% GR + biogas slurry@ 10 tˑha-1 are equally effective strategies for reclaiming sodic soils and improving the yield of rice and wheat crop
• In rice crop direct seeding after priming with Single Super Phosphate @ 1% gave maximum grain yield
• Maximum yield was obtained by applying biogas slurry @ 20 t ha-1 with ridge sowing
• Utilization of salt affected soils for sugarcane with pit planting techniques, maximum cane yield was obtained by filing of pits with gypsum @ 100 % GR
• Maximum finger millet yield can be obtained by applying fertilizer @ 50-40-0 kg ha-1 NPK and crop sown with transplanting method
• In salt affected soils, sugarcane clone S-2003-us-704 gave maximum yield which was followed by S-2006-us-658
• In salt affected soils turnips gave maximum yield when sown on ridges and fertilizer was applied @ 100-50-0 NPK kgha-1
• Selected three new rice lines, possessing extra-extra-long grain length, tolerant to salinity, with better yield potential and resistant to lodging and insect attack
• Screened three rice and three wheat salt tolerant lines
• Ploughing with modified chisel plough twice + gypsum @ 40% GR of soil, produced maximum paddy and wheat grain yield
• Using disk harrow and addition of 40 kg ha-1 urea fertilizer, is best combination for green manuring to obtain maximum paddy and wheat grain yield
• Using modified chisel plough twice + gypsum @ 100% GR is the best technique for reclamation of salt affected soil. Maximum fodder yield of sorghum and berseem was recorded with modified chisel plough twice+ gypsum @ 100%GR of soil
• Maximum wheat grain yield and organic matter was obtained where chisel plough was used with band placement fertilizer application method.
• Yield in saline-sodic soil was increased by using different field implements i.e. Disc plough, Rotavator, Chiesel plough and Sub-Soiler instead of simple cultivator by improving physical properties of soil
• Salt tolerant variety, Shaheen Basmati was evolved and got approved for general cultivation
• Two new salt tolerant rice lines have been screened and sent to National Coordinator (Rice) for testing and evaluation in the National Uniform Rice Yield Trials

Last Five Years Achievements

1. The use of PGPR along with gypsum on RSC basis (RSC 7.85 me L^-1) of brackish water, proved effective for improving soil bulk density (-18.76 %) and hydraulic conductivity (+30.48 %) in slightly salt affected soil using maize- wheat rotation.
2. Integrated use of sulfur @ 50% soil gypsum requirement with Pressmud @ 10 t ha^-1 reduced the soil pH_s (4.57%), EC_e (15.26%) SAR (56.26%) BD (10.11%) and increased HC (32.5%) of saline sodic soil using wheat-pearl millet rotation.
3. In field lysimeter screening study, out of six grapes varieties, Perlet performed better with 51.96 & 45.18% increase over initial values under saline sodic soil conditions (EC 6 and SAR 30) for plant height and stem diameter respectively.
4. In screening pot experiment, Sufaid gola performed better with 18.73 & 20.81% increase over initial values under saline sodic soil conditions (EC 7 dSm^-1 and SAR 30 mmol L^-1)^1/2 for plant height and stem diameter respectively.
5. Sorghum genotypes e.g., YS-98 and Hegariwere found salt tolerant in screening experiment and could be good candidates for fodder production in moderately saline-sodic soils.
6. Rhodes grass genotypes e.g., Toro and Sabre have very good yield potential and could be good candidates for fodder production in saline-sodic soils.
7. Rye grass can be grown successfully with 50% yield potential at EC 12 dSm^-1 and SAR 45.

Response of Rye grass against different levels of salinity and sodicity

1. Combined use of salicylic acid (SA @ 10^-5 M) and L-tryptophan (L-TRP @10^-5 M) with 50% gypsum requirement of soil significantly increased the grain yield of rice and wheat crops and improved the soil ECe, SAR, pH_s, BD and HC.
2. Effect of tillage practices on nitrogen use efficiency of salt affected soils (pH_s = 8.48, EC_e= 4.48 dS m^-1, SAR = 27.36 (mmol L^-1)^1/2, BD = 1.55 (Mg m^-3), HC = 0.51 (cm hr^-1), O.M = 0.40 %) was studied and found that maximum wheat grain yield (3.09 t ha^-1) was obtained where chisel plough was used with band placement of fertilizer.
3. In moderately salt affected soil (pH_s = 8.80, EC_e= 4.33dS m^-1, SAR = 30.15 (mmol L^-1)^1/2, BD = 1.53 (Mg m^-3), HC = 0.48 (cm hr^-1)) maximum paddy yield (3.18 t ha^-1) and water use efficiency (2.45 kg ha^-1mm^-1) was obtained where irrigation was applied after 8 days interval, whereas minimum paddy yield (2.60 t ha^-1) was obtained using irrigation interval of 10 days.
4. For direct seeded Rice, rotavator when used with drill sowing produced maximum paddy yield (2.92 t ha^-1) in moderately salt affected soil (pH_s = 8.71, EC_e= 4.07 dS m^-1, SAR = 30.12 (mmol L^-1)^1/2, BD = 1.51 (Mg m^-3), HC = 0.49 (cm hr^-1)).
5. Camelina (Oil seed crop) can be successfully grown after seed priming with CaCl₂ (2% soln.) and using ridge sowing method in salt affected soil.
6. Quinoa crop can be sown with maximum return by using 7 kg ha^-1 seed in ridge sowing and having 30 cm X 30 cm plan to plant distance in salt affected soil.
7. Rice variety (Al Khalid Rice) were approved in 2021 which is salt tolerant, high yielding extra-long grain bearing average Karnal length of 10.0 mm with excellent cooking quality.

       Al-Khalid Rice (2021)

1. Maximum fresh biomass of Wheat Grass was observed where gypsum @ 100% GR was used to reduce the deleterious effects of brackish water and it was non-significant with the treatment where, H₂SO₄ was used @ 100% GR on RSC basis.

 Wheat Grass: A candidate for saline agriculture

Advisory Services (No of samples)

Project (Ongoing)   

Project title “Exploring the salt tolerant plantation (forest, medicinal trees and finger millet as fodder crop) for economic utilization of salt affected soils” funded by Punjab Agriculture Research Board (PARB), Lahore.  Project budget = Rs 7.5 millions for three (03) years duration (2021-2024). 

Facilities

Seminar Hall 

• This institute has a seminar hall with a seating capacity of about 84 persons.

Analytical Facilities for Farmers

This institute provides the following tests facilities for the farming community which are of practical significance for growing of crops, trees and vegetables

• Irrigation water analysis for salinity and sodicity
• Soil analysis for ECe, pHs, SAR, gypsum requirement, soil texture, organic matter, available phosphorus, available potassium.
• Gypsum purity analysis.
• Fertilizer analysis for Nitrogen, Phosphorus.

Services

Following are the services offered by the institute:

• Advisory services to farmers for soil and water analysis. 
• Advisory service about production technologies of different crops in salt-affected soils.
• Pamphlets / brochures have been printed for free distribution among farming community.
• Salient research findings have been published in reputable journals for scientific community.

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