THE IMPACT OF RECLAMATION MEASURES ON SALINITY REGIMES OF SOLONCHAK AND HIGHLY SALINE GYPSIFEROUS SOILS
Keywords:
Solonchak, plowing, deep loosening, deep slotting of soil, leaching, rice cultivation, soil desalinization.Abstract
In order to improve the reclamation status of solonchak and highly compacted gypsiferous soils, the land was subjected to plowing to a depth of 30 cm, followed by deep loosening to a depth of 80 cm and slotting to a depth of 120 cm. Subsequently, a closed horizontal drainage system was installed at a depth of 120–150 cm, with spacing between drains of 30–35 m.
The prepared soil was leached in two stages. At the first stage, during the autumn–winter period, 10,000 m³/ha of water was applied, ensuring the removal of salts from the 50–70 cm soil layer. The second stage of leaching was continued through rice cultivation, with an additional application of 17,000 m³/ha of water, which reduced soil salinity from solonchak levels to slightly saline conditions.
The second experimental plot served as a control. Its soil, similar to that of the first plot, was also solonchak and highly saline; however, the depth of the horizontal drainage system was 3.0–3.5 m, with a spacing between drains of 70 m. In this variant, annual leaching was carried out during the autumn–winter period using 4,000–4,500 m³/ha of water. However, no significant desalinization of the soil was observed.
