Crop Production Techniques in Problem Soils – Crops & Varieties

1. Acid Soils (pH < 5.5)

• Problems: Al/Fe toxicity, Ca/Mg/P deficiency.
• Management: Liming, organic matter, acid-tolerant crops.
• Crops; Rice, finger millet, maize, potato, sweet potato, tea, pineapple, groundnut, cowpea.
• Varieties (acid-tolerant)
  • Rice → ‘Kalinga III’, ‘Gayatri’, ‘Lalat’.
  • Finger millet → ‘GPU 28’.
  • Maize → ‘HQPM-1’, ‘Vivek 9’.

2. Saline Soils (ECe > 4 dS/m, pH < 8.5, ESP < 15)

• Problems: High osmotic pressure, poor germination.
• Management: Leaching, good drainage, mulching, salt-tolerant varieties.
• Crops; Barley, cotton, mustard, sugar beet, date palm, rice, wheat, sorghum.
• Varieties (salt-tolerant)
  • Rice → CSR 10, CSR 13, CSR 23, CSR 36, CSR 46 (developed at CSSRI, Karnal).
  • Wheat → KRL 1-4, KRL 19, KRL 210, KRL 213 (salt-tolerant).
  • Barley → K 125, K 114.
  • Mustard → CS 54.
  • Cotton → H-777.

3. Sodic / Alkali Soils (pH > 8.5, ESP > 15, EC < 4 dS/m)

• Problems: Dispersion, poor infiltration, Na toxicity.
• Management: Gypsum/pyrite, rice–wheat system, green manuring with dhaincha.
• Crops; Rice (initial years), barley, sugar beet, dhaincha, wheat after reclamation.
• Varieties (sodicity-tolerant)
  • Rice → CSR 10, CSR 13, CSR 23, CSR 36, CSR 46.
  • Wheat → KRL 1-4, KRL 19, KRL 210.
  • Barley → CSR 27.
  • Grasses → Karnal grass (Diplachne fusca), Para grass, Leptochloa fusca.

4. Saline–Sodic Soils (ECe > 4 dS/m, ESP > 15, pH > 8.5)

• Problems: Combined effect of salinity + sodicity.
• Management: Gypsum application + leaching + drainage.
• Crops; Rice, wheat, barley, sugar beet, mustard.
• Varieties; Same as saline & sodic soils (CSR rice series, KRL wheat series).

5. Calcareous Soils (CaCO₃ > 10%)

• Problems: P fixation, Zn/Fe deficiency.
• Management: Band placement of P, foliar Zn & Fe, organic manures.
• Crops; Cotton, sorghum, pearl millet, maize, wheat, barley.
• Varieties
  • Maize → CM 202.
  • Wheat → Lok 1 (tolerates high CaCO₃).

6. Waterlogged Soils

• Problems: Oxygen deficiency, toxic substances (Fe²⁺, Mn²⁺, H₂S).
• Management: Surface/subsurface drainage, raised beds, bio-drainage (Eucalyptus).
• Crops; Rice, jute, taro, water chestnut, lotus.
• Varieties
  • Rice → Jalmagna, Swarna Sub-1 (submergence tolerant).
  • Jute → JRO 524, JRC 698.

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