Soil Salinity in Irrigated Agriculture

Description

Irrigation is and has been a very useful tool for man since it has motivated a substantial increase in agri-food production and has led to important technological developments of its different components. However, some issues have been ignored, such as agricultural salinity problems, which are avoidable and can be prevented, controlled, and combated if the processes and factors involved are known in greater detail. Therefore, this book aims to contribute to disseminating some technical concepts and experiences related to these problems. The main topics covered are the properties of water and soil and the soil-water-plant relationships involved in salinity problems, the origin of the salts present in water and soil, the chemical quality of irrigation water, the characterization and classification of saline soils, the response of plants to salinity, the prediction, and prevention of salinization processes, methods to combat saline soils, as well as alternatives for the use of water and soils with problems of salts or to adapt to them.