Farmer’s Participatory Genetic and Agronomic Approaches for Higher Rice Productivity in Sodicity Stress

Abstract

In salt affected soils, neither physical nor chemical remediation methods are cost-effective for saline/sodic soil reclamation. Salt-affected lands are estimated at about 955 million ha worldwide, afflicting over 6% of the world’s total arable land, of which sodic soils constitute 581 million ha. Regaining the agricultural potential and enhancing the productivity and profitability of rice in sodic soils, it necessitates the development of advanced technologies for the sustainable reclamation of these soils, suitable salt tolerant varieties (STVs) through farmer’s participatory varietal selection (FPVS) approaches and their matching management practices (Mmp).The results from the study showed that combining Mmp with STV resulted in 35% higher yields over traditional variety (TV) with farmer’s management practices and proved cost effective nutrient management approach to maximize the productivity and profitability of rice in sodic soils.

Keywords

• cost effective reclamation technologies
• matching management practices
• <i>Oryza sativa</i>
• farmer’s participatory varietal selection
• salt tolerant varieties
• crop productivity