Eurasian Center for Food Security The publication of this Handbook was supported Handbook for by the Russian Federation Saline soil management ISBN 978-92-5-130141-8 978 9251 301418 I7318EN/1/01.18 Handbook for saline soil management Editors: R. Vargas, E.I. Pankova, S.A. Balyuk, P.V. Krasilnikov and G.M. Khasankhanova Published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Lomonosov Moscow State University Disclaimer and Copyright The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), or of Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. 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All requests for translation and adaptation rights, and for resale and other commercial use rights should be made via www.fao.org/contact-us/licence-request or addressed to [email protected]. FAO information products are available on the FAO website (www.fao.org/publications) and can be purchased through [email protected]. Cover photo: Gulchekhra Khasankhanova Contents Foreword ........................................................................................................... VI Part I.Soil salinity management in the Eurasian Region ................................. 1 Chapter 1.Salt-affected soils of the Eurasian Region: diagnostics, criteria and distribution .................................................................................................................3 1.1. Definitions ...................................................................................... 3 1.2. Soil and water salinity diagnostics and evaluation methods ..........................................3 1.3. Main causes, sources and effects of salinity .....................................................................8 1.4. Distribution of salt-affected soils within the Eurasian Region ......................................11 Chapter 2.Methods of studying, mapping and monitoring saline and alkaline soils ...........................................................................................................................16 2.1. Methods of studying and mapping of saline and alkaline soils: ground survey and remote sensing techniques, aerial photography and GIS-mapping .............................16 2.2. Methods of assessment of modern processes of salt accumulation in soils using salt concentration measurements ...................................................................................18 2.3. Organizing and conducting soil monitoring in conjunction with European experience ........................................................................................................................19 2.4. Soil salinity monitoring by the use of remote sensing (following the example of irrigated territories of Central Asia) ................................................................................21 2.5. Experiences of the Eurasian Region countries in soil monitoring .................................25 2.5.1. Organization of research and assessment of the state of irrigated lands in Ukraine ............... 25 2.5.2. Main criteria and indicators for monitoring of soils as a natural resource ................................ 25 2.5.3. Soil salinization monitoring inUzbekistan ................................................................................... 26 Chapter 3.Assessing and forecasting the development of soil salinization and alkalinization processes ..........................................................................................29 3.1. Methods and models for assessing the state of irrigated lands ...................................29 3.2. Methods and models required for natural resource management ...............................30 3.3. Models and methods for the assessment of moisture and salt regimes of irrigated lands .................................................................................................................................31 III Chapter 4.The rational use of saline and alkaline soils (with examples from Ukraine) ....................................................................................................................35 4.1. Classification of amelioration measures .........................................................................35 4.2. Integrated management of water and soil resources of salt- affected land ................36 4.3. Innovation and investment to support the management and use of salt-affected soils ...................................................................................................................................37 4.4. Information, regulations and methodologies for supporting the conservation and use of salt-affected soils ..................................................................................................40 4.5. Technical support for the conservation and use of salt-affected soils ..........................42 4.5.1. The system of hydrotechnical, agricultural and chemical amelioration of saline and alkaline soils 42 4.5.2. Phytobiological and agroforestry amelioration systems ............................................48 4.6. Synergetic amelioration complexes ................................................................................50 Chapter 5.Innovative methods and technologies for amelioration of salt-affected soils and agroforestry practices in marginal landscapes .......................................53 5.1. The use of a proximal technique of electromelioration on localized areas of Soda Solonetz-Solonchak in Armenia ......................................................................................53 5.2. Innovative technologies for the amelioration and use of salt-affected soils in Kazakhstan .......................................................................................................................54 5.2.1. Differentiated system of amelioration of salt-affected paddy soils ............................................ 54 5.2.3. Innovative technologies for the use of saline-alkaline soils under green forest plantations ..... 57 5.3. Precision agriculture systems on saline and alkaline soils ............................................59 5.4. Biosaline technologies and approaches to the management of salt-affected agricultural lands under arid climate conditions (by examples in Central Asia and Transcaucasia) ..................................................................................................................62 5.5. Agroforestry on salt-affected soils in degraded agricultural landscapes in Uzbekistan ........................................................................................................................73 Chapter 6. Assessment of the cost effectiveness of combined measures for the amelioration of salt-affected soils ...........................................................................79 6.1. Methods for assessing the cost effectiveness of measures for the amelioration of salt-affected soils .............................................................................................................79 6.2. Approaches and methods for assessing the ecological benefits and cost effectiveness of the amelioration of salt- affected soils ................................................81 6.3. Assessing the effectiveness of laser land levelling and agroforestry in Uzbekistan ....83 IV Part II.Tutorial examples, guidelines and exercises ...................................... 88 Annex A.Classifications, assessment criteria and distribution of salt-affected soils ...........................................................................................................................88 A1. Assessing the chemical properties of soil salinity ...........................................................88 A2. Diagnostics of solonetz and solonetzized soils ...............................................................89 А3. Criteria for estimating gypsum content in soils ..............................................................90 А4. Criteria for estimating the content of carbonates in soils ..............................................91 А5. Distribution of salt-affected soils in some countries of the Eurasian Region (a b rief overview). .........................................................................................................................92 Annex В.Assessing water suitability for