Springer Research Developments in Saline Agriculture

Soil and water salinity is a major challenge for the agricultural community and policy makers in terms of meeting the burgeoning population’s demand for food and other agricultural commodities. In coastal regions, climate change and sea level rise will aggravate the problem with more and more areas becoming saline due to intrusion of sea water. As such there is a pressing need for modern tools and innovative techniques for the identification of salty soils and poor-quality waters, crop production, soil reclamation and lowering the water table in waterlogged areas. Tackling next-generation problems such as contamination of soil and underground water due to fluoride and arsenic, as well as developing multi-stress tolerant crops is also a high priority. Further, techniques for domesticating halophytes, mangrove-based aquacultures, using seaweed cultures as agricultural crops and integrated farming systems need to be perfected. This book addresses all these aspects in detail, highlighting the diverse solutions to tackle the complex problem of salinity and waterlogging and safer management of poor-quality waters. With chapters written by leading experts, it is a valuable resource for researchers planning future investigations, policy makers, farmers and other stakeholders, and for students wanting insights into vital issues of environment.  From the Back Cover Soil and water salinity is a major challenge for the agricultural community and policy makers in terms of meeting the burgeoning population’s demand for food and other agricultural commodities. In coastal regions, climate change and sea level rise will aggravate the problem with more and more areas becoming saline due to intrusion of sea water. As such there is a pressing need for modern tools and innovative techniques for the identification of salty soils and poor-quality waters, crop production, soil reclamation and lowering the water table in waterlogged areas. Tackling next-generation problems such as contamination of soil and underground water due to fluoride and arsenic, as well as developing multi-stress tolerant crops is also a high priority. Further, techniques for domesticating halophytes, mangrove-based aquacultures, using seaweed cultures as agricultural crops and integrated farming systems need to be perfected. This book addresses all these aspects in detail, highlighting the diverse solutions to tackle the complex problem of salinity and waterlogging and safer management of poor-quality waters. With chapters written by leading experts, it is a valuable resource for researchers planning future investigations, policy makers, farmers and other stakeholders, and for students wanting insights into vital issues of environment.  About the Author Dr Jagdish Chander Dagar, Former Assistant Director General and Emeritus Scientist at ICAR, has pursued agricultural,  ecological and agroforestry research and has published more than 280 papers in peer-reviewed journals, book chapters and in conference/symposium proceedings. He has also authored/ edited 12 books. His research interests include biosaline agriculture, agroforestry, management of natural resources, rehabilitation of degraded lands, biodrainage, ethnobotany, plant ecology, climate change, and sustainable agriculture and policy. He has received several awards in recognition of his work, such as the Sajjad Memorial Gold Medal, ICAR Hari Om Asharam Trust Award, the UGC Swami Pranavananda Saraswati National Award, CSSRI Excellence Award on Soil Salinity & Water Management, and Dr KG Tejwani Award for Excellence in Agroforestry Research & Development. Further, he is fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences and several other professional societies. He has also served as a consultant for various national and international agencies, including such as FAO of the UN, CIMMYT, and Haryana Forest Department. Dr Dagar is Chief Editor of the Journal of Soil Sali