Reclamation of problem soils:

• It includes processes and practices involved in bringing saline and alkaline soils into productive conditions.
• The efficiency of the reclamation depends on:

a) Nature of soil as saline, alkali or saline-alkali.

b) Degree of salinity and alkalinity in soil profile.

c) Quantity of water available for leaching of their salts and reaction products.

d) Drainage characteristics of soils.

e) Topography of land.

f) Presence of hard pan of lime or clay in the soil strata.

Saline soils:

• Include soils containing soluble salts in quantities sufficient to interfere with growth of most crop plants.

Alkali soils:

• Includes soils containing exchangeable sodium in a quantity sufficiently to interfere with the growth of plants and not containing appreciable quantity of soluble salts.

Causes of salinity and Alkalinity in soils

• Use of saline irrigation water.
• Deposition of salts on soil surface from high subsoil water table.
• Seepage from the canal.
• Arid climate
• Poor drainage
• Back water flow of sea water in coastal areas.
• The major processes involves transpiration, evaporation and poor drainage.
• The nature and extent of salt accumulation and the degree of alkalinity depends on

a) Quality of irrigation water either salty or not

b) Frequency of irrigation water

c) Types of soil and its permeability

d) Salt tolerance characteristics of soil

e) Climatic conditions

Other factors include

a) Soil of high texture are less salinized

b) The presence of hard pan of lime or clay further enhance the salinity of soil

c) High water table depth and poor-quality irrigation water

d) Inadequate drainage