Adapting to climate change by improving water productivity of soils in dry areas

Considering extreme events of climate change and declining availability of appropriate quality water and/or highly productive soil resources for agriculture in dryland regions, the need to produce more food, forage and fibre will necessitate the effective utilization of marginal-quality water and so...

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Main Authors: Qadir, Manzoor, Noble, A.D., Chartres, Colin J.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Wiley 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40298
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author Qadir, Manzoor
Noble, A.D.
Chartres, Colin J.
author_browse Chartres, Colin J.
Noble, A.D.
Qadir, Manzoor
author_facet Qadir, Manzoor
Noble, A.D.
Chartres, Colin J.
author_sort Qadir, Manzoor
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Considering extreme events of climate change and declining availability of appropriate quality water and/or highly productive soil resources for agriculture in dryland regions, the need to produce more food, forage and fibre will necessitate the effective utilization of marginal-quality water and soil resources. Recent research and practices have demonstrated that effective utilization of these natural resources in dry areas can improve agricultural productivity per unit area and per unit water applied. This paper focuses on the following three case studies as examples: (1) low productivity soils affected by high levels of magnesium in soil solution and on the cation exchange complex; (2) degraded sandy soils under rainfed conditions characterized by low water-holding capacity, organic matter and clay content and (3) abandoned irrigated soils with elevated levels of salts inhibiting growth of income generating crops. The results of these studies demonstrate that application of calcium-supplying phosphogypsum to high-magnesium soils, addition of clays to light textured degraded soils and phytoremediation of abandoned salt-affected soils significantly improved productivity of these soils. Furthermore, under most circumstances, these interventions were economically viable, revealing that the efficient use of marginal-quality water and soil resources has the potential to improve livelihoods amid growing populations in dry areas while reversing the natural resource degradation trend. However, considerably more investment and policy-level interventions are needed to tackle soil degradation/remediation issues across both irrigated and dryland agricultural environments if the major challenge of producing enough food, forage and fibre is to be met.
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spelling CGSpace402982025-06-17T08:23:41Z Adapting to climate change by improving water productivity of soils in dry areas Qadir, Manzoor Noble, A.D. Chartres, Colin J. climate change adaptation water productivity soil management soil fertility soil degradation arid zones phytoremediation water quality natural resources crop production yields cotton wheat irrigated farming irrigated land Considering extreme events of climate change and declining availability of appropriate quality water and/or highly productive soil resources for agriculture in dryland regions, the need to produce more food, forage and fibre will necessitate the effective utilization of marginal-quality water and soil resources. Recent research and practices have demonstrated that effective utilization of these natural resources in dry areas can improve agricultural productivity per unit area and per unit water applied. This paper focuses on the following three case studies as examples: (1) low productivity soils affected by high levels of magnesium in soil solution and on the cation exchange complex; (2) degraded sandy soils under rainfed conditions characterized by low water-holding capacity, organic matter and clay content and (3) abandoned irrigated soils with elevated levels of salts inhibiting growth of income generating crops. The results of these studies demonstrate that application of calcium-supplying phosphogypsum to high-magnesium soils, addition of clays to light textured degraded soils and phytoremediation of abandoned salt-affected soils significantly improved productivity of these soils. Furthermore, under most circumstances, these interventions were economically viable, revealing that the efficient use of marginal-quality water and soil resources has the potential to improve livelihoods amid growing populations in dry areas while reversing the natural resource degradation trend. However, considerably more investment and policy-level interventions are needed to tackle soil degradation/remediation issues across both irrigated and dryland agricultural environments if the major challenge of producing enough food, forage and fibre is to be met. 2013-01 2014-06-13T14:47:20Z 2014-06-13T14:47:20Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40298 en Limited Access Wiley Qadir, Manzoor; Noble, Andrew; Chartres, Colin. 2013. Adapting to climate change by improving water productivity of soils in dry areas. Land Degradation and Development, 24(1):12-21. doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.1091
spellingShingle climate change
adaptation
water productivity
soil management
soil fertility
soil degradation
arid zones
phytoremediation
water quality
natural resources
crop production
yields
cotton
wheat
irrigated farming
irrigated land
Qadir, Manzoor
Noble, A.D.
Chartres, Colin J.
Adapting to climate change by improving water productivity of soils in dry areas
title Adapting to climate change by improving water productivity of soils in dry areas
title_full Adapting to climate change by improving water productivity of soils in dry areas
title_fullStr Adapting to climate change by improving water productivity of soils in dry areas
title_full_unstemmed Adapting to climate change by improving water productivity of soils in dry areas
title_short Adapting to climate change by improving water productivity of soils in dry areas
title_sort adapting to climate change by improving water productivity of soils in dry areas
topic climate change
adaptation
water productivity
soil management
soil fertility
soil degradation
arid zones
phytoremediation
water quality
natural resources
crop production
yields
cotton
wheat
irrigated farming
irrigated land
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40298
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