This article may help you

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/salinity/solutions/dryland.htm

You can go for some salt tolerant crops and pastures which can also be grown in arid climate with high water use efficiency. In this regard soybean, canola, sunflower, salt tolerant lucern and barley can be grown which provide desired yield even with limited water availability.

Moreover the attached article can assist you further. 

Thanks @Javed and @Mazhar Rafique for providing valuable links. REGARDS

Use in Saline and Alkali Soils

These soils contain excessive concentrations of either soluble salts or exchangeable sodium, or both. For agricultural purposes, such soils are regarded as a class of problem soils that requires special remedial measures and management practices. Soluble salts produce harmful effects to plants by increasing the salt content of the soil solution and by increasing the degree of saturation of the exchange materials in the soil with exchangeable sodium. The latter effect occurs when the soluble constituents consist largely of sodium salts and is of a more permanent nature than the salt content of the soil solution, since exchangeable sodium usually persists after the soluble salts are removed.

The salt content of soils above which plant growth is affected depends upon several factors, among which are the texture of soil, the distribution of salt in the profile, the composition of the salt, and the species of plant.

The decision regarding what level of exchangeable sodium in the soil constitutes an excessive degree of

saturation is complicated by the fact that there is no sharp change in the properties of the soil as the degree of saturation with exchangeable sodium is increased.

In the past an exchangeable-sodium-percentage of 15 has been used at the Laboratory as a boundary limit between nonalkali and alkali soils. Insufficient data and experience are available to justify a change, but this limit must be regarded as somewhat arbitrary and tentative.

In some cases, for example, 2 or 3 milliequivalents of exchangeable sodium per 100 gm. of soil has

equal or even greater usefulness as a critical limit.

There has been uncertainty in the past regarding the effect of exchangeable potassium on the physical properties of soils and if, as De Sigmond (1928) and Magistad (1945) have proposed, exchangeable sodium and potassium should be considered as additive in defining alkali soils. It has been observed in several instances that alkali soils high in exchangeable potassium have better physical properties and are more readily reclaimable than other alkali soils containing similar amounts of exchangeable sodium but low amounts of exchangeable potassium. The view that exchangeable potassium has only a slight or no adverse effect upon the physical properties of soils is supported by the results of studies made recently.

It is to be expected that if the hydraulic conductivity of surface soil is as low as 0.1 cm./hr. (0.04 in./hr.)

leaching and irrigation may present serious difficulties.

Veihmeyer and Hendrickson (1946) found that plant roots were unable to penetrate a gravelly loam soil when the bulk density exceeded a value of around 1.8 gm. Cm3.

Recent studies by Allison (1952) and by Martin and associates (2952) indicate that dispersed soils may

be rapidly and effectively improved by application of aggregating agents of the polyelectrolyte type. Applied at the rate of 0.1 percent on the dry-soil basis, this material has effectively improved the physical condition of alkali soils on which it has been tried. Salinity appears to have little or no effect on the process. A higher degree of aggregation was obtained where the aggregating agent in solution was sprayed on dry soil and mixed in than when it was applied dry to a moist soil followed by mixing. Regardless of the manner of application, large increases in infiltration rate and hydraulic conductivity resulted from its use.

The relation between the exchangeable-sodium-percentage (ESP), and the sodium-adsorption-ratio (SAR) is given by the equation:

ESP=         100 ( - 0.0126+ 0.01475 SAR)

1 + ( - 0.0126 + 0.01475 SAR)

Similarly, the relation between the exchangeable potassium  percentage (EPP) and the potassium adsorption ratio (PAR) is given by the equation :

EPP=        100_(0.00360+ 0.1051 PAR)

1 + (0.0360+ 0.1051 PAR)

Dear sir

The dry lands can be very well managed with blending of bio engineering measures like soil and moisture conservation techniques evolved by institute like crida, cswcrti and cazri etc. These institutes have done lot of work on it. If you have further question I will get back you.

Thanks

See the following abstract on the production of forage in a saline desert area.

A cost effective method to produce forage in a desert area

A.R.Khavaninzadeh, H. Sodaeizadeh, M.Akhavan F. Veroustraete

Abstract

Food security is one of the major worldwide concerns due to an increasing global population and the concomitantly declining natural resources. On the other hand one can envisage saline lands as a soil resource for agriculture. It may be an opportunity for the production of foliage and crops by reclaiming saline soils in countries with a high aridity. Therefore, the reclaim of saline land using domestic wastewater - properly purified - may play a role for biomass and foliage production in 10 arid areas.

With the present research capability of foliage production - using Sorghum bicolar L. - in saline lands has been evaluated applying the leaching method with a halophyte cultivation method based on natural and chemical substances. In our research we tested two substance treatment levels e.g. 25 and 50 tons/ha) of gypsum and wind deposits containing gypsum this last treatment with two levels e.g., 85 and 170 tons/ha.

The halophyte species plantation is a pioneer species. Sorghum cultivation has been carried out for all treatments. The production rate of Sorghum has been determined with each of the two treatment approaches.

Results elicited that the leaching method and suitable irrigation leads to a salinity rate reduction of the soil from 139 to less than 4 (ds/m).

Maximal production of Sorghum was obtained with treatment of the wind deposited additive material. Considering the results obtained, land reclamation in the study area and production of forage seems possible using wind containing gypsum deposited in the region amounting to 85 tons/ha, accompanied with irrigation and halophyte plantation.

Hence, it seems that the application the gypsum depositing method seems to be cost effective and making use of a durable resource hence, sustainable forage production seems feasible in saline desert areas using the approach as described in this paper.

Dear Dr Subhash Chand ji, My question is very simple I will love if you please send the details specially in dryland salinity management. Thanks for your reply 

 @ Vijayaraghavan Gonuguntla; My dear friend I am intrested in Drylan Salinity Management not in Alkali Soils. Thanks for your such a detailed answer. Please write if you have some thing about the question. Thanks dear once again.

 @ Frank Veroustraete; Thanks for providing the abstarct. I will appreciate some more information if you could share. Regards

 @ Frank Veroustraete; Thanks for providing the abstarct. I will appreciate some more information if you could share. Regards

@Sarwan Kumar Dubey

Dear Sarwan Ji,

Should you require some samples of our microbial products, we can arrange if you are willing to conduct trials and give us the feedback.

If interested please mail us.

Regards

VIJAY

[email protected]

Very interesting question as usual Dr Dubey. Let me try out this one. Infact ,  dryland salinity is developed by three major processes viz., groundwater recharge, groundwater movement through porous acquifer and groundwater discharge, if I am not wrong . Some of the strategies that have accrued  reclamation  effect could be summarised as : Change in land use pattern  by intensive cropping and elimination of long fallows , growing deep rooted perennials like alfa alfa , resort to subsurface drainage in discharge areas ,  growing salt tolerant crops (  Still the most vibrant result producing strategy ) ,some of the grasses  come in that category like   Agropyron elongatum/cristatum/trachycaulum, Festuca elatior, Kochia scoparia etc.  Globe box Guide to Salinity launched by NZW , Australia is one such success story to cite amongst few successful  ones.

@Vijayaraghavan Gonuguntla: Dear Sir, Can you please send the detail of these products. Thanks

Thanks Dr Srivastava ji, for your informative reply. Please send a link  of Globe box Guide to Salinity launched by NZW , Australia, if possible. Regards

 with mechanical practices deep ripping

plant multipurpose tree species, i.e. Acacia nilotica, Prosopis palleda, Prosopis cinreria etc  in the area

@ Mukhtiar Ali, yes my dear multy purpose trees can also be grown in these areas. Thanks

Conventional techniques to mitigate soil salinity can be

characterized by four generations (see list of publications on the end):

:1) Problem of root zone salination by soil leaching, where contamination

can be observed.  2) Use of subsurface trickle irrigation - economy

of water, and therefore less additional salts; however the

problem of groundwater contamination due to natural rain or

artificial leaching can remain; 3) Enhanced fertilization

increases tolerance to salinity and sensitivity also increases

, but the contamination will be increased by other hazardous

chemicals such as nitrates; 4) Use of salt tolerant species -

this technique will be very useful to the plants, but it does not

solve the problem of soil or groundwater contamination..

The only way to control the salination process and to maintain the

sustainability of landscape and agricultural fields is to combat

the salination problems by environmentally safe and clean

techniques, as follows: 1) Use of salt (ions) removing species 2) Use of

drought tolerant crops, because less water is

applied and, therefore, less will be infiltrated ; 3)

reduction of salt application by deficit irrigation , and 4)

application of minimal levels of water to obtain a good visual

appearance GVA

REFERENCES

1) Use of salt (ions) removing species 

Ben Asher, J.; Beltrão, J. Aksoy, U.; Anaç. D; Anaç. S.; 2012. Modelling the effect of salt removing species in crop rotation. International Journal of Energy and Environment 3(6): 350-359.

Ben Asher, J.; Beltrao, J. Aksoy, U.; Anaç. D; Anaç. S.; 2012. Controlling and simulating the use of salt removing species. International Journal of Energy and Environment 3(6): 360-369.

Neves, M.A.; Miguel, M.G.; Marques, C.; Panagopoulos, T.;  Beltrão, J. 2008. The combined effects of salts and calcium on growth and mineral accumulation on Tetragonia tetragonioides. Transactions on Environment and Development 4(1):1-5.

Hamidov, A.; Khaydarova, V.; Sharipova, S.; Costa, M.; & Beltrao, J. 2007 Environmentally useful technique - Portulaca Oleracea Golden Purslane as salt removal techniques. Transactions on Environment and Development 7(3):117-122. (Citações: 5)

Hamidov, A.; Khaydarova, V.; Khamidov, M.; Neves, M.A.;.& Beltrao, J. 2007. Apocynum Lancifolium and Chenopodium Album.- potencial species to remediate saline soils. Transactions on Environment and Development 7(3):123-128. 

2)  Enhanced fertilization

Beltrão, J.; Ben Asher, J; & Magnusson, D. 1993.Sweet corn response to the combined effects of saline water and nitrogen fertilization. Acta Horticulturae 335:53-58.

Beltrão, J.; & Ben Asher, J. 1997. The effect of salinity on corn yield using CERES-Maize model. Irrigation and Drainage Systems 11:15-28.

Beltrão, J.; Jesus, S.B.; Trindade, D.; Miguel, M.G.; Neves, M.A.; Panagopoulus, T. & Ben Asher, J. 2002. Combined effects of salts and nitrogen on the yield function of Lettuce. Acta Horticulturae 573:363-368.

Khaydarova, V. 2006; & Beltrão, J. 2006. Response of Lettuce yield to the combined effects of salts, nitrogen and water. Transactions on Environment and Development 2(5):512-518.

Thanks @ J. Beltrão, for references and your valuable comments. Regards