Converting saline soil to fertile soil using plant stems and a plastic sheet
China turned the salty soil into fertile.
Using plant stems and a plastic sheet, Chinese scientists were able to reduce soil salinity by 36% and turn salty soil into fertile fields.
A new and innovative approach developed by soil scientists from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences has helped transform vast tracts of saline soil into fertile agricultural land.
These tests were conducted in Wuyuan County, Inner Mongolia, China.
According to the estimates of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), about 9% of the earth's land is saline and is unsuitable for agriculture in its current form.
While natural conditions such as desert conditions can lead to a decrease in soil quality, human activities have also contributed to these changes.
Poor water management is one of the factors that increase soil salinity. In Vivian, China, farmers over-irrigate their fields with abundant water from the adjacent Yellow Sea. This increases the water level in the area and as a result the soil salts rise up.
This dry region has very little rainfall and therefore the salt content of the soil is not diluted and as a result the salts accumulate on the soil surface.
Salinity reduction solution
A group of soil scientists, led by Li Yuyi, has developed an innovative approach to combating increased soil salinity.
The researchers used crop stems with different lengths between 5 and 15 cm and buried them flat in the soil at a depth of about 30 to 40 cm.
Then the surface of the ground was covered with a plastic sheet to help retain moisture and the crop stems prevent the salts from rising to the surface.
Finally, the team reduced the salt content of the soil by an average of 36% with the help of moisture conservation.
According to the published information of the researchers, this decrease in salinity led to a 30.5% increase in the production of products.
China's food security concerns
Food security is a priority for China, with a population of 1.4 billion. However, this country faces many challenges, because it ranks third in the world in terms of saline-alkaline lands in its geographical borders.
247 million hectares of mainland China has high salinity, most of which are located in the arid and semi-arid regions of central and western China. According to Chinese government estimates, a third of this land could be reclaimed for reuse after intervention with technology or improved farming practices.
Nevertheless, China achieved a bumper harvest in 2023, and officials plan to maintain grain production above 650 million tons to ensure self-sufficiency in the face of climate change and uncertainty in global food markets.
To achieve this goal, China has developed about 40 technologies to purify saline soil and make it suitable for agriculture again. The country is also eager to share this technology with other countries.
The researchers added in their report that in addition to its own preparations, China is cooperating with countries such as Italy, Japan, South Korea, and the United States to introduce rice seeds with salt-resistant genes.
Research teams like this one from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences have spent more than a decade researching saline-alkaline soils in the country and developing interventions specifically tailored to local conditions.
