Comparison of growth of annual crops used for salinity bioremediation in the semi-arid irrigation area
The decline of soil organic carbon (SOC) has aggravated salinity-related problems in semi-arid irrigation areas of the Awash river basin, Ethiopia. This study aimed at evaluating the performance of potential remediation crops on saline soil and their effectiveness for remediating soil salinity and i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences
2019-04-01
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| Series: | Plant, Soil and Environment |
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| Online Access: | https://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/pse-201904-0001_comparison-of-growth-of-annual-crops-used-for-salinity-bioremediation-in-the-semi-arid-irrigation-area.php |
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| author | Kidia K. Gelaye Franz Zehetner Willibald Loiskandl Andreas Klik |
| author_facet | Kidia K. Gelaye Franz Zehetner Willibald Loiskandl Andreas Klik |
| author_sort | Kidia K. Gelaye |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The decline of soil organic carbon (SOC) has aggravated salinity-related problems in semi-arid irrigation areas of the Awash river basin, Ethiopia. This study aimed at evaluating the performance of potential remediation crops on saline soil and their effectiveness for remediating soil salinity and improving pH, SOC, bulk density (BD) and hydraulic conductivity (HyCo). Rhodes grass (RHG), alfalfa (ALF), sudangrass (SUG) and blue panicgrass (Retz) (BPG) were grown in saline (3-13.9 dS/m) field plots. The crop biomass was incorporated into the soil immediately before flowering. The results show that at high soil salinity levels, BPG and SUG grew well, with the harvesting frequency of BPG being much higher than for SUG. Conversely, the growth of ALF and RHG was strongly inhibited by high soil salinity. Significant (P < 0.05) reduction of soil salinity levels (-3.2 dS/m) and related ionic concentrations, an increase of SOC (0.8% to 1.6%) and improvement of BD and HyCo were observed in BPG plots. The fast-growing nature of BPG in the hot climate of the experimental area resulted in harvests every three weeks and promoted the incorporation of high amounts of biomass to the soil and efficient soil salinity remediation. At moderately saline conditions, ALF also showed a great potential for salinity reclamation (-1.8 dS/m) and SOC accumulation. The cultivation of fast-growing annual crops proved an efficient and low-cost strategy for soil salinity mitigation and the reclamation of salinity-associated soil degradation in irrigation agriculture in Ethiopia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T08:08:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b7c75a1c5db54b7ebd3fd31c54ee4e0f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1214-1178 1805-9368 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T08:08:52Z |
| publishDate | 2019-04-01 |
| publisher | Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plant, Soil and Environment |
| spelling | doaj.art-b7c75a1c5db54b7ebd3fd31c54ee4e0f2023-02-23T03:46:46ZengCzech Academy of Agricultural SciencesPlant, Soil and Environment1214-11781805-93682019-04-0165416517110.17221/499/2018-PSEpse-201904-0001Comparison of growth of annual crops used for salinity bioremediation in the semi-arid irrigation areaKidia K. Gelaye0Franz Zehetner1Willibald Loiskandl2Andreas Klik3Department of Water-Atmosphere-Environment, Institute of Hydraulics and Rural Water Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Forest and Soil Sciences, Institute of Soil Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Water-Atmosphere-Environment, Institute of Hydraulics and Rural Water Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Water-Atmosphere-Environment, Institute of Hydraulics and Rural Water Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Vienna, AustriaThe decline of soil organic carbon (SOC) has aggravated salinity-related problems in semi-arid irrigation areas of the Awash river basin, Ethiopia. This study aimed at evaluating the performance of potential remediation crops on saline soil and their effectiveness for remediating soil salinity and improving pH, SOC, bulk density (BD) and hydraulic conductivity (HyCo). Rhodes grass (RHG), alfalfa (ALF), sudangrass (SUG) and blue panicgrass (Retz) (BPG) were grown in saline (3-13.9 dS/m) field plots. The crop biomass was incorporated into the soil immediately before flowering. The results show that at high soil salinity levels, BPG and SUG grew well, with the harvesting frequency of BPG being much higher than for SUG. Conversely, the growth of ALF and RHG was strongly inhibited by high soil salinity. Significant (P < 0.05) reduction of soil salinity levels (-3.2 dS/m) and related ionic concentrations, an increase of SOC (0.8% to 1.6%) and improvement of BD and HyCo were observed in BPG plots. The fast-growing nature of BPG in the hot climate of the experimental area resulted in harvests every three weeks and promoted the incorporation of high amounts of biomass to the soil and efficient soil salinity remediation. At moderately saline conditions, ALF also showed a great potential for salinity reclamation (-1.8 dS/m) and SOC accumulation. The cultivation of fast-growing annual crops proved an efficient and low-cost strategy for soil salinity mitigation and the reclamation of salinity-associated soil degradation in irrigation agriculture in Ethiopia.https://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/pse-201904-0001_comparison-of-growth-of-annual-crops-used-for-salinity-bioremediation-in-the-semi-arid-irrigation-area.phpsalt tolerancearid conditionsdroughtland degradationforage |
| spellingShingle | Kidia K. Gelaye Franz Zehetner Willibald Loiskandl Andreas Klik Comparison of growth of annual crops used for salinity bioremediation in the semi-arid irrigation area Plant, Soil and Environment salt tolerance arid conditions drought land degradation forage |
| title | Comparison of growth of annual crops used for salinity bioremediation in the semi-arid irrigation area |
| title_full | Comparison of growth of annual crops used for salinity bioremediation in the semi-arid irrigation area |
| title_fullStr | Comparison of growth of annual crops used for salinity bioremediation in the semi-arid irrigation area |
| title_full_unstemmed | Comparison of growth of annual crops used for salinity bioremediation in the semi-arid irrigation area |
| title_short | Comparison of growth of annual crops used for salinity bioremediation in the semi-arid irrigation area |
| title_sort | comparison of growth of annual crops used for salinity bioremediation in the semi arid irrigation area |
| topic | salt tolerance arid conditions drought land degradation forage |
| url | https://pse.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/pse-201904-0001_comparison-of-growth-of-annual-crops-used-for-salinity-bioremediation-in-the-semi-arid-irrigation-area.php |
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