Desalinization effect of simulated cut‐soiler‐based residue filled preferential shallow subsurface drainage: Improvement of physiology and yield of rain‐fed pearl millet in saline semiarid regions

Abstract

Soil salinity is a major soil degradation problem that limits agricultural production. The cut‐soiler constructed preferential shallow subsurface drainage (PSSD) method is a promising salinity management technology for small‐scale application and adoption in drylands. This study assessed the effectiveness of rice residue‐filled PSSD in managing soil salinity and its effect on the physiology and yield of pearl millet. The cut‐soiler simulated drains were constructed manually in semi‐controlled lysimeter. A double replicated, split–spilt plot experiment, comprising with and without cut‐soiler drainage (main‐plot), two soil types (sub‐plot) and three irrigation water salinity (4, 8, 12 dS m−1) (sub‐sub plot) were conducted during 2019–2020. The cut‐soiler PSSD reduced ~60% soil salinity after 2 years. The PSSD reduced soil salinity by 23.28 and 41.46% in April 2019 and April 2020 (before pearl millet sowing). This reduction was 32.24 and 46.23% in October 2019 and 2020 (at harvest). Cut‐soiler drainage (PSSD) areas recorded lower soil moisture (%) indicated greater outflow of water and salinity. The salinity Inhibition efficiency increased upto 2 years of construction and then decline. The pearl millet grain and biological yields were improved by 23.54 and 12.64%, respectively and a positive effect on plant water relations and physiology was observed. The cut‐soiler PSSD was found to enhance salt removal and reduce salt accumulation under saline water irrigation. These drains can be constructed in a single farm operation at individual farm levels. Therefore, it could be a potential alternative for soil salinity management in semi arid regions irrigated with saline groundwater.

Land degradation and development in India: Status quo, challenges and opportunities

“…Researchers suggest that marine gypsum could effectively be used as an alternative ameliorant for the reclamation of degraded sodic soil (Jha et al, 2022), however, long‐term studies are needed to confirm its residual impacts on subsequent crops and soil health. Another study investigated the reclamation of salt‐affected soils through improving water drainage (Neha et al, 2022). Researchers developed cut‐soiler constructed preferential shallow subsurface drainage (PSSD) method as a promising salinity management technology for small‐scale application and adoption in drylands.…”

“…The study also found improved pearl millet grain and biological yields by 23.54% and 12.64%, respectively, and had a positive effect on plant water relations and physiology. Researchers recommend this method as a potential alternative for soil salinity management in semi‐arid regions irrigated with saline groundwater (Neha et al, 2022). Similarly, for reclamation of saline soils, different amendments such as recommended doses of fertilizers, rice straw compost, municipal solid waste, and gypsum were applied to soil in a field experiment.…”

“…The articles on forests quantify various soil‐based ecosystem services (Kumar, Roy, et al, 2022; Pandey et al, 2023) and report that forest degradation reduces these services (Shukla et al, 2022; Thakrey et al, 2022). In the case of soil salinization, also, studies tested different methods to reduce salinization in different local conditions (Jha et al, 2022; Meena et al, 2022; Neha et al, 2022). In the case of plantations, it appears that tree‐based plantations provide more ecosystem services than fallow, marginal, and degraded land (Baradwal et al, 2022; Edrisi, Singh, et al, 2023; Kumar, Roy, et al, 2022).…”

Reclamation of salt‐affected soils in India: Progress, emerging challenges, and future strategies

“…Vertical drainage has also shown a good potential to reclaim the saline soils in areas posing difficulty in installation of horizontal SSD. For easy and quick subsoil improvement through better drainage in the field, the residue filled cut-soiler constructed drains can also combat the problems of surface water stagnation and soil salinity management in agricultural lands (Neha et al, 2022). It can also be used to place crop residues into the subsurface and therefore helps in stabilizing drainage channels along with sequestration of carbon in deeper soil layers.…”