Objectives:

Progress Summary:
A salt-affected filed was selected at Proka-II farm under University of Agriculture Faisalabad. The initial analyses of soil show that soil is saline-sodic (pHs 7.45-7.50, ECe 8.24-12.57 dS m-1 and SAR 67.9-84.5 at 0-15 cm). At 15-30 cm soil depth, pHs ranged between 7.56-7.70, ECe 9.55-15.17 dS m-1 and SAR 87.5-129.9 (Appendix 1). The bulk density of soil ranged between 1.49-1.55 and 1.50-1.56 Mg m-3 at 5-10 and 15-20 cm depths, respectively (Appendix 2). The irrigation water from locally installed tube well has EC = 3.94 dS m-1, SAR = 19.37 (Appendix 3) Almost similar was the quality of canal water at farm delivered from Sir-Wala distributary. Rice and wheat crops were cultivated with treatments: T1) Seed sowing without any seed or soil treatment (Farmer practice); T2) Sowing of seed soaked in water for 24 hours (Hydro-priming) + gypsum @ 50% of soil gypsum requirement (50% SGR); T3) Sowing of seed soaked for 24 hours in aerated KCl solution + gypsum @ 50% of SGR; T4) Sowing of seed soaked for 24 hours in aerated gypsum saturated solution + gypsum @ 50% of SGR for both the crops. These treatments were replicated thrice in RCBD on a permanent layout.
Rice was harvested at physiological maturity, growth parameters were recorded (Appendix 4) and post-rice soil samples were analyzed (Appendix 5). The straw and paddy yields are quite reasonable but low compared to national average. There were non-significant differences among treatments regarding rice straw and paddy yields. Treatment differed statistically regarding post-rice soil ECe and SAR. There was considerable decrease in ECe and SAR but pHs increased with out any statistical treatments effect in the post-rice soil. Farmer’s meeting was organized at the experiment site and gypsum use along with priming technologies were demonstrated to farmers and farmers were motivated to cultivate their salt-affected lands.
Regarding wheat (2009-10), germination rate has been recorded for eight consecutive days which reflects that it was maximum (No m-2) with T4 (38) followed by T2 (35), T1 (32) and T3 (20) on day-22 after sowing (Appendix 6). Further germination started earlier with gypsum solution priming than that with other treatment. There is reasonably good crop stand in the field. Herbicide and 2nd dose of nitrogen has been applied. The crop will be harvested at physiological maturity and yields will be recorded.

Detailed Progress Report:

Statement of Problem(s): Pakistan is facing acute shortage of good quality water for irrigation (Mohtadullah 1997; Ghafoor et al., 2002). Ground water may supplement irrigation needs but its quality is mostly hazardous. Even then about 55 MAF ground water is pumped, of which 70-75 % is brackish that could result in deterioration of soil health and economic yields as well as produce quality (Qadir and Schubert, 2002; Murtaza et al., 2006; Ghafoor et al., 2004a; Latif and Beg, 2004).
Up till now, about 3.5 mha soils in Pakistan have developed surface salinity/sodicity (secondary salinity) due to the use of poor quality irrigation waters. In spite of all possible efforts made by government and farmers, this problem is gaining grounds in several areas, particularly in Punjab province. Mostly salt-affected lands are receiving input without any economical yield. In order to make them suitable for farming, heavy inputs and plenty of good quality irrigation water is needed, which is already lesser than needed for profitable agriculture. Hence, there is a need to demonstrate technologies to help poor farmers to improve their production from such low quality lands (Saifullah et al., 2002; Ghafoor et al., 2004b).
Insufficient crop stand establishment is a widespread constraint for crop production in salt-affected soils (Harris et al., 1999; Saifullah et al., 2002). Due to adverse effects of excessive salts and deteriorated soil physical conditions of saline-sodic and sodic soils, lower plant population is common to decrease production considerably (Munns, 1993). In addition, plants that do eventually emerge often grow slowly and are highly susceptible to stresses such as drought, salinity, pests and diseases (Francois et al., 1986). Farmers in some situations can choose to re-sow, although this entails severe yield penalties, increased labor and financial losses. There is evidence from different regions of the world that borrowing has become a common practice to pay additional cost by owners of such lands (Ghafoor et al., 2004b).
Seed priming is a controlled hydration process followed by re-drying that allows all the pre-germination metabolic activities but prevents radical protrusion (Khan et al., 1992). Extensive work has been done in the past including our research group on the effect of pre-sowing seed treatments in alleviating salinity stress under marginal conditions (Basra et al., 2005; Afzal et al., 2006). It has been established that combined use of soil applied gypsum and seed treatments usually resulted in better crop productivity (Ghafoor et al., 2004a) but it is not being practiced by farmers due to paucity of information on its role in improving crop growth under adverse saline-sodic soils using saline/saline-sodic waters for irrigation.
Studies on better crop production from of salt-affected soils have been successfully completed in the Fourth Drainage Project Area (FDPA), Faisalabad with the participation of farmers with good adoption rate by local farmers (Ghafoor et al., 2004a). Since the gravity of salt-affectedness of soils and waters varies considerably, the technology transfer already established for such situations needs continuous involvement for site-specific conditions. It was, therefore, planned to demonstrate and replicate the known package of technology with the participation of farmers for productive use of low quality soils site-specific basis. This way, large abandoned areas will become productive and income of rural masses will increase to help alleviate the rural poverty. Keeping in view the worth of these findings, it was planned to extend these studies to salt-affected land of the UAF at Proka farm.

Experimental Procedures/Design:
The project was initiated in the month of March 2008. This research aims to demonstrate the effect of seed priming and gypsum application on growth performance of rice and wheat crops in salt-affected soil.

Study 1. Enhancing rice productivity through combined use of soil-applied gypsum and pre-seed sowing treatments on salt-affected soils
Methodology
A salt-affected field was selected at Proka II farm, UAF and was laser leveled. Soil samples were collected at 0-15 and 15-30 cm soil depths from the treatment plots (99 ft by 54 ft) during July, 2009. Soil was air-dried, ground and passed through a 2 mm sieve and mixed thoroughly. The soil was analyzed for different soil properties (pHs, ECe, SAR) by following methods described by the US Salinity Lab. Staff (1954), gypsum requirement (GR) by Schoonover’s method (1952) and physical properties according to Klute (1986). Pre-sowing rice seed treatments were carried out and seeds were re-dried in air to normal moisture contents. Then these primed seeds along with a control (farmer practice) were sown to raise nursery at Proka-II. Treatments were replicated thrice in RCBD on a permanent lay out and gypsum was applied @ 50 % of the soil gypsum requirement (SGR) in respective plots. Forty five-day old rice nursery (2-3 seedlings per hill) was transplanted during the 2nd week of July 2009. The NPK and Zn fertilizers were applied at recommended rates. As crop was irrigated with tube well water mainly and canal water was applied only once a week to provide some relief to plants from salinity and/or sodicity stress. At harvest in the month of November 2009, paddy and straw yields were recorded. Soil samples were collected and analyzed for chemical properties as per methods mentioned above.
Description of treatments
T1     Rice seed sowing without any seed or soil treatment (Farmer practice).
T2     Rice seed sowing with seed soaking in water for 24 hours (Hydro-priming) + gypsum @ 50% soil gypsum requirement (50% SGR).
T3     Sowing of rice seed soaked for 24 hours in aerated KCl solution (KCl priming) + gypsum @ 50% SGR.
T4     Sowing of rice seed soaked for 24 hours in aerated gypsum saturated solution (Gypsum priming) + gypsum @ 50% SGR.
Note: Gypsum @ 50 % SGR will be soil-applied only once before the start of studies.
Study 2. Improving wheat production through soil-application of gypsum and pre-sowing seed treatments on salt-affected soils
Methodology
After the harvest of rice crop in November 2009, field was prepared for sowing wheat 2009-10. Field layout was retained as for rice. Wheat cv. Sehar was sown on 2nd December 2010 using seed rate of 50 kg acre-1 in rows 20 cm apart. Plant germination count was recorded until the germination completed. The description of applied treatments is the same as given under study 1.
iii. Results and Expected Benefits
A salt-affected filed was selected at Proka-II farm under University of Agriculture Faisalabad. The initial analyses of soil show that soil is saline-sodic (pHs 7.45-7.50, ECe 8.24-12.57 dS m-1 and SAR 67.48-84.29 at 0-15 cm. At 15-30 cm soil depth, pHs ranged between 7.56-7.70, ECe 9.55-15.17 dS m-1 and SAR 87.21-129.7 (Appendix 1). The bulk density of soil ranged between 1.49-1.55 and 1.50-1.56 Mg m-3 at 5-10 and 15-20 cm depths, respectively (Appendix 2). The irrigation water from locally installed tube-well has EC = 3.94 dS m-1, SAR = 19.37 (Appendix 3) Almost similar was the quality of canal water at farm delivered from Sir-Wala distributary. In addition there could be other undesirable substances in canal water like metals, detergents, toxic organics etc. since lot of raw waste water from city is disposed into the Sir Wala distributary.
Study 1. Enhancing rice productivity through combined use of soil-applied gypsum and pre-seed sowing treatments on salt-affected soils
Experimental field was quite unleveled and during laser leveling soil from one side of the field was shifted to the other side which exposed more problematic subsoil for the growth of plant roots as well as exposed stone hard lime kankars on the soil surface.
Chemical properties of Soil
Applied treatments significantly affected soil ECe at both the depths (Appendix 4). There was maximum decrease in ECe with T4 (41.39 %) and minimum with T1 (33.99 %) at 0-15 cm depth (Appendix 4). The decrease in ECe at 15-30 cm depth was maximum with T2 (43.44 %) and minimum with T1 (37.17 %). However, soil ECe decreased to a level with all the treatments at which rice and wheat crops could grow successfully, i.e. without considerable yield loss. The decrease in ECe with the irrigation water (Ayers and Westcot, 1985) from locally installed tube well (EC = 3.94 dS m-1, SAR = 19.37) in conjunction with canal water seems reasonably high because of better infiltration rate (US Salinity Lab Staff, 1954) of this moderately course texture highly calcareous soil.
A slight increase in pHs was observed in the post-rice soil at both the depths (Appendix 4) owing to irrigation with high EC, SAR and RSC water (Appendix 3). At the beginning, maximum pHs was 7.47 and minimum 7.50 at 0-15 cm depth and at 15-30 cm, pHs was the highest for T1 (7.70) while the lowest for plots under treatment T2 (7.56). At the harvest of rice, it was the lowest for T4 (8.28) and highest for T3 at 0-15 cm depth, while was the lowest with T4 (8.18) and the highest for T1 and T2 (8.43). At 0-15 cm depth, increase in pHs was lowest with T4 (10.44) and the highest for T3 (13.62 %). At 15-30 cm soil depth, the lowest and highest increase was 7.21 and 11.51 % for T4 and T2, respectively. However, treatment differences to change pHs remained statistically similar at both the depths.
The SAR of the post-rice soil decreased with significant treatment differences at both the depths (Appendix 4). Infect application of large volume of irrigation water to grow rice promoted the effectiveness of all the treatments. Decrease in SAR was the highest with T4 (60.76 %) and minimum with T1 (41.48 %) at 0-15 cm soil depth. At lower soil layer, there was maximum decrease again with T4 (59.49 %) and minimum with T1 (38.37 %). The decrease in soil SAR with the irrigation water from locally installed tube well (EC = 3.94 dS m-1, SAR = 19.37, Appendix 3) in conjunction with canal water (Murtaza et al., 2006) seems reasonably high because of better infiltration rate (Ghafoor et al., 2004b) of this moderately course texture highly calcareous illite clay dominated soil (Anonymous, 1985; Ranjha et al., 1993), Ca2+ added in irrigation water or from dissolution of native soil lime as well as the applied gypsum (Rhoades, 1968) which was further promoted by the root respiration (Qadir and Schubert, 2002; Akhtar et al., 2004), and all these combined to enhance the Na+ - Ca2+ exchange followed by leaching of replaced Na+ and other salts to deeper soil layers.
Since this was the first rice crop ever grown in this field after several years of its deterioration, decrease in ECe and SAR of soil reflected the importance of rice crop for reclamation saline-sodic soils (Qadir and Schubert, 2002; Murtaza et al., 2006). Non-significant treatment effects on soil properties seems the result of wide variation EC and SAR of soil at the beginning and highly brackish water for irrigation along with medium soil texture which facilitated infiltration to affect amelioration. It is established fact that initially the use of high EC water tends to mask treatment effects on soil reclamation, particularly in well drained soils (Ghafoor, 2004 a, b).
Physical properties of soils have not been determined after rice harvest because their development/improvement is time-dependent and negligible change was expected within 6-month period of wheat crop. Now these will be determined at the termination of studies.
Growth of Rice Crop
Crop growth data regarding number of tillers per hill, number of plants m-2, plant height, and straw and paddy yields showed that there were non-significant differences among treatments (Appendix 5). Maximum paddy (1.66 t ha-1) and straw (6.05 t ha-1) yields were recorded with T4. Since the soil is under reclamation, the overall yields are low. Further the rice is relatively less tolerant to EC but highly tolerant to SAR (Munns, 1993; Ayers and Westcott, 1985) but have always proved very useful crop owing to availability of drainable surplus for soil reclamation (Murtaza et al., 2006; Saifullah et al., 2002). The seed priming effect is expected to become more conspicuous with the advancement of soil improvement as currently the high EC and SAR of soil and water are dominant to adversely affect rice yields.
Study 2. Improving wheat production through soil-application of gypsum and pre-sowing seed treatments on salt-affected soils
Chemical Properties of Soil
Post-rice soil analysis (Appendix 4) is the pre-wheat soil analysis and effect of treatments following wheat crop on these chemical properties will be evaluated at the harvest of wheat in May 2010.
Growth of Wheat Crop
The effect of treatments on germination count of wheat is presented in Appendix 6. The data was recorded for eight consecutive days after the start of seedling emergence. The results reflect that maximum germination rate (No m-2) was with T4 (38), followed by T2 (35), T1 (32) and T3 (20) at day-22 after sowing. The seedling emergence started earlier with T2 (Hydro-priming) and T4 (Gypsum priming) along with soil-applied gypsum @ 50 % SGR than that with T1 (control) and T3 (KCl priming) which will help better plant establishment with the former treatments (Harris et al., 1999; Saifullah et al., 2002). Crop is growing well which will be harvested at physiological maturity and data on growth parameters will be recorded in May 2010.
IV. Technology Transfer Activities
Regarding technology transfer, farmers from the near villages were invited and meeting was conducted at the experimental filed. Farmers were demonstrated about how the salt-affected land could be brought under cultivation using gypsum as an amendment. Application method of gypsum and carrying seed priming treatments were explained to the farmers. Reasonably good crop growth on such poor quality soil using brackish water for irrigation was the proof of the effectiveness of gypsum and priming technology to obtain economic yields. In addition, the video recording of that meeting was displayed at Kissan Melas organized at UAF main campus to motivate and educate farmers for bringing their salt-affected barren lands under cultivation.

Conclusions

Crop production on salt-affected soils is adversely affected due to salt toxicity, poor soil physical/chemical properties and nutritional imbalance. The field was degraded with respect to salinity, sodicity and physical properties. The Tube well and canal water available at farm is strongly saline-sodic because of raw sewage disposal into “Sir Wala” distributary. The soil has been ameliorated considerably regarding ECe, pHs and SAR after one rice-2009 crop. The yields of straw and paddy were quite reasonable considering soil condition at the beginning but low compared to national average. However, germination rate of wheat 2009-10 crop was very satisfactory with hydro-priming and that in gypsum solution.
VI.       Publications:              Nil
VII      Graduate Students/Degrees

VIII.    List of Scientists Involved in This Project
Dr. Saif Ullah, Asstt. Professor, Inst. Soil & Environ. Sci., UAF (on Post-Doc in USA).
Dr. Abdul Ghafoor, Professor, Inst. Soil & Environ. Sci., UAF.
Dr. M. Zia-ur-Rehman, Asstt. Professor, Inst. Soil & Environ. Sci., UAF.
Mr. Asif Naeem, Research Fellow, Inst. Soil & Environ. Sci., UAF (Resigned).
IX.    National/International Linkages Developed
Prof. Dr. Ravi Naidu                   
Postal Address: CERAR, Building X, Mawson Lakes, South Australia, 5095.
X.     Future Plan of Work
Current wheat crop will be harvested in May 2010 and yield data will be recorded. Soil samples for physical and chemical properties will be determined after the harvest of wheat 2009-10. Rice nursery will be grown. Then the same rice-wheat crop rotation will be repeated during the next 2 years. Soil reclamation will be assessed from physical and chemical properties of soil and yield of crops. The M.Sc. (Hons.) students will complete their thesis for the award of degrees. The farmers participating in the Kisan Mallas will be initiated to raise the experiments. The preliminary results will be presented in the soil science society conference in March 2010.

Bottlenecks/Constraints

There is additional cost of diesel to run peter engine for irrigation for which the allocated amount seems to fall short which needs to increase the amount by about 1.5 times of the previously approved budget. Owing to low salary, the Research Associates work for short time, always looking for other position and then resign. The Research Associate resigned on 1st Dec 2009, post was advertised in UAF Campus New on 02-02-2010 but none applied. The post has been re-advertised. It is suggested that salary of Research Associates may be made attractive.