I think soil salinity because salinity could develop even in a normal soil with normal water quality due to topgraphy of the soil and other associated soil properties , beesides climatological features...

Soil salinity is the salt content in the soil; the process of increasing the salt content is known as salinization. Salts occur naturally within soils and water. Salination can be caused by natural processes such as mineral weathering or by the gradual withdrawal of an ocean. It can also come about through artificial processes such as irrigation. Salts are a natural component in soils and water. Salinity in drylands can occur when the water table is between two and three metres from the surface of the soil

There are 2 main types of salinity:

primary—naturally occurring salinity

secondary—resulting from human activities.

Primary salinity occurs naturally in soils and waters. Secondary salinity is salting that results from human activities, usually land development and agriculture.

One of the consequences of irrigation by saline water is the salty soil while the water and salty soil sources in arid and semiarid regions influence agriculture and have created some problems; such unfavourable influence in arid regions with high evaporation has made us seriously worry.

I think soil salinity.

Salinity

Salinity is a measure of the soluble salts in soil. Salinity is measured in a water-extract of the soil. Saline soils pose a problem for plants. The more saline the soil, the more difficult it is for plants to absorb and extract water from the soil.

Plants can concentrate solutes in their roots to increase water absorption from the soil (via osmosis), but plants cannot compete for water with highly saline soils.

Saline Soils

Soils may be saline because of the presence of salts naturally occurring in the soil’s parent material (geologic material out of which the soil formed). They may be saline because of irrigation/watering with high-salt water, including water that has been run through a water softener.

Frequent but short irrigation events can lead to accumulation of salts, as the water never percolates below the root zone, carrying excess salts with it.

Excessive fertilizer application or application of salt-containing organic materials (such as manure and sludges) can create saline soils. Run-off from roads and sidewalks may contain de-icing materials that contribute salts to the soil.

Testing Soils for Salinity

Soil salinity can be tested easily and inexpensively. County Extension Agents can give advice on how to sample the soil and where to have the sample(s) analyzed. Salinity can drastically hamper plant growth, and because it is often readily treatable, soils should be analyzed before planting time, whether in lawns, landscapes, or gardens.

Soil salinity levels below 1 dS/m (deciSeimens per meter) are normal in the arid west. Salinity values above 2 dS/m will cause difficulties for salt-sensitive plants, such as beans, carrots, corn, lettuce, sugar maples, and Scotch pine. Soil salinity levels above 4 dS/m are problematic for a large variety of landscape and garden plants.

There are plants that can tolerate some soil salinity; these plants include tall fescue, buffalograss, bermudagrass, asparagus and beets, among others. Salt-tolerant plants can be grown in lieu of treating moderately-saline soils if those particular plants meet the needs of the grower.

Treatment and Reclamation for High Saline Soils

The salinity of soils formed out of saline parent materials, such as some old lake beds, may be impossible to change. The minerals in the soil are inherently high in salts, and as the minerals weather and/or are leached with water, they will continue to release salts into the soil solution. However, for soils that have become saline over time due to reasons stated above, such as improper irrigation, reclamation is feasible.

Most reclamation approaches to treating saline soils involve leaching (flushing) of the soil with clean/relatively pure water. Sufficient water must be applied to dissolve the excess salts that have accumulated and cause them to percolate/flow out of the soil profile, particularly the root zone. To accomplish this leaching of salts, adequate drainage is requisite. Once good drainage is assured, the soil can be irrigated with clean water. Run-off should be avoided to prevent erosion.

The rate of infiltration or flow of water into the soil will determine how quickly water can be applied. The rate will be dependent on the type of soil. Fine-textured soils, such as clayey soils, will have slower infiltration rates than coarse-textured soils. Any restrictive layer, such as a plow pan, will slow the flow of water down through the soil, as will compaction. In all limiting cases, measures must be taken to improve drainage. The rate of infiltration will be faster initially, but will reach a constant rate. Observation and monitoring will be required to achieve leaching of salts while avoiding run-off.

As a starting point, apply 6 inches of water to reduce salinity by 50% and 12 inches of water to reduce salinity levels by 80%. 24 inches of water may need to be applied to reduce salinity levels by 90%. Irrigation via sprinklers is best for sloped areas, but if necessary, flood irrigation may be used on level areas if berms or basins are used to contain the water.

Testing initial soil salinity levels will enable determination of how much water should be applied to reduce salt concentrations to acceptable levels. Post-leaching soil salinity tests will ensure that saline-soil reclamation has been successful.

Soil salinity is a greater concern than water salinity. In arid and semiarid regions a large area is affected by salinity. Paradoxically, the ground water also tends to be saline from these regions. Managing saline water is relatively easier than managing the saline soils.

I think that the damage caused by water salinity is more important than the damage caused by soil salinity. When the soil is salty, we can reduce the harmful effect by washing and by adding leaching requirements with irrigation water, but when the water is saline, how can we reduce its negative impact? Especially since repeated irrigation annually increases the salt accumulation in the soil and becomes saline soil through many years.

Ali Alhayany

I agree with you. However, this needs evaluation and scientific procedure to prove. Further, soils differ greatly, its not easy to determine soil salinity range in a specific area.

If you have saline water , there are well defined ways to use it with good safety so that crop is not adversely affected by mixing nonsaline water or by disdolving gypsum in it...Soils once infested with salts , for example, clay soils , it is next to impossible to flush out salts from such soils

Dear Dr. Anoop in arid environmental conditions and as a result of the use of supplementary irrigation in agriculture, we face a problem of continuous increase in the area of salinity affected soils each year as a result of the use of furrow irrigation, whereas we can reduce the salinity of the soil by planting a number of saline tolerant crops for a number of years. Salinity I talk about that we didn't use any other supplements like gypsum or using good quality water with saline water .

This is how , we have to manage salinity Dr Alhayany. Managing saline water is far more easier than a soil which is infested with salinity . Managing sailinity in arid and semarid regions is far more difficult than humid regions or temperate salinity , regardless of whether soil is saline or acquifer is saline...

Both are important but water salinity can be managed easier than soil salinity.

Thank you Hanna Madanat for your valuable comment.

Ali Alhayany, Are you planted beets in order to flush the soil salts ? If not, which crops you recommend to achieve this ? Please, advise

Anoop Kumar Srivastava,

Usually pedoligists enphasize the terrible case of soil salinity. But, water is a big issue also. Suppose, you grow a sensitive crop to salts. It will not be enough to be aware of soil salinity. Because, water salinity also enriched root medium with salts among time of crop life. In fact, I am more comfortable with water salinity big issue rather than soil salinity. However, science is just a theory, this must be fixed by an experimental proof.

Hanna Madanat,

Do you think that crop rotations could be a good solution to manage water salinity?

Yes crop rotation has a huge implications in combating salinity , either emerging through irrigation water or salt accumulation in soil. Biosaline agriculture is nowdays a burning issue. Saline aquaculture is also practiced.

This was really an interesting question and most of the contributors voted for soil salinity except Hanna who was of the view that both are important. I can add more to his explanation that not only both are important but also inter-related because water salinity finally contribute to soil salinity. In fact, in most of the arid conditions, soil salinity is developed due to continuous use of saline water if no curative/management measures are being undertaken. I totally agree with Dr. Kumar that water salinity can be managed but if not then it will consequent into salinizations of soil and saline soil will be formed ultimately. When you start with utilization of saline water, it is quite possible that losses are not significant in first one or two crops, depending upon quantum of water salinity, climatic conditions, soil properties (especially soil texture) and management practices. However, once steady state is reached due to continuous use un-managed saline water, effects of soil and water salinity becomes same and exactly similar.

Dear Nizar Hussain

Thanks so much for your valuable comment. That what am saying, water salinity finally contribute to soil salinity. Management of soil salinity have to be started via saline water control first.

Thank you Massami, you are quite right. I have more than 25 years working experience on soil and water salinity, use of saline water and soils, salt tolerance of crops, salt tolerance mechanisms, salinity management and many other aspects. The participants and researchers can find my published work of their interest on Researchgate website at my page. Thank you.

Check this link the articles maybe help

Article Salt tolerance classification of crops according to soil sal...

Both can reduce productivity either alone or together. For example, in semi-arid regions where precipitation is irregular (for example in the Brazilian Caatinga) the concentration of rainfall and the low amount of water added to high insolation lead to the salinity of soils and irrigation water. In protected environments the mismanagement of water and fertilizers leads to the same situation. For the great majority of crops, both irrigation with saline water and cultivation in saline soils leads to reduced productivity, since the number of plant cells is genetically predefined, but cell swelling is reduced under saline stresses. Thus, several studies have shown the reduction of productivity in several crops such as tomato. Not by reducing the number of fruits formed, but by reducing their size. Work has been carried out in Spain and in other countries, where there is no quality water in abundance, which seeks to estimate productivity by combining quality water with salt water and thereby discover the best combination to have acceptable productivities. If we have abundant quality water we can solve soil salinity problems in some cases, but in smaller areas. But everything will depend on the climate of the region, species tolerance.....

Dear Colleague,

Both phenomena represent the real threat for plant production and decreasing of overall soil fertility, because of degradation of secondary aluminosilicates. According to some archaeological evidences, one of the reasons of collapse of Sumerian civilization (the first known civilization in history) was irrigation with water with higher level of salinity. But, what's worse? - that is the question; - it seems to me like a choice between “bad and worse”.

Sincerely, Siniša Srečec

I agree to Sinisa's answer.

I think both can affect on optimum plant growth and yield

Some interesting responses. Even the irrigation with good quality water on a drainage impeded geomorphological surfaces can be potentially threatening from salinity buildup point of view.. But i agree with the statement by Sinisa that it is a compromise between bad and worse...

Dear Collegeous,

Thanks for feedback. All discussions were be very valuable

Soil and water salinity, both are important and adversely affect the crop production and growth but water salinity can be managed much easier than soil salinity. One may choose between bad and worst.

Yes, Dr. Hamdan, both soil and water salinity affect crop production. However, water salinity ultimately affect through salinizing soil.

Both soil and water salinity are important for crop production.