Characterization and Classification of Salt Affected Soils in Mula Command Area of Ahmednagar District, Maharashtra

摘要

Soil salinity/sodicity is one of the most serious forms of soil quality degradation affecting approximately 10% of the total land surface of the globe. The problem occurs in varying intensities in more than 120 countries and is more prominently witnessed in the arid and semi-arid areas (Yadav 1993). In semi-arid and arid regions, irrigation induced problems of water-logging, secondary salinization and sodication goes hand in hand. These problems pose a great threat to the sustainable productivity. Nearly 10-12% of shrink-swell soils under command of Mula, Pravara, Godavari, Dhom, Girna, Purna, Jayakwadi, Nira, Krishna, Mutha and several such major and minor irrigation projects have turned into saline and sodic Vertisols (Varade et al. 1985). India covers an area of salt affected soils to the tune of 13.5 million hectare (Mha). In Maharashtra state about 0.54 Mha of black soils are initially reported to be salt affected which has increased to 1.06 Mha and is about 3.4% of geographical area (Gaikwadand Challa 1996). The soils of Mula command area in distributory No.2 turned to highly saline after 35 years of introduction of canal irrigation. Kharche and Pharande (2010) reported that about 65% area in the Mula command was affected by salinity and sodicity, out of which 36% area was found to be sodic, while 29% was saline-sodic. Therefore, it is necessary to characterize and classify the soils in distributory No. 2 of Mula command area after lapse of 35 years. The present investigation was therefore, planned in order to develop the database on physical and chemical properties of soil as affected by salinity and sodicity in Mula command area of Ahmednagar district.