Nuclear Techniques Support Crop Production on Salt-affected Soils in Middle East

Since the start of the project in 2014, 60 scientists have been trained in a range of nuclear and isotopic techniques, which play a key role in determining the amount of nitrogen and water required by plants. These included the use of soil moisture neutron probes to monitor soil moisture levels, and the nitrogen-15 isotopic technique which uses stable isotopes to help track how effectively crops are responding to, and taking up, fertilizer (see Soil moisture neutron probe and the nitrogen-15 isotopic technique). The information generated from these techniques allows farmers to know the appropriate type and amount of fertilizer and water required based on both the soil properties and the crop types.

With the application of the right kind of irrigation water, the physical and chemical conditions of the soil can be improved over time, as the accumulated salt is washed off, enabling a wider range of crops to germinate and grow. As a result, farmers in participating countries have managed to successfully grow different crops and achieve high production volumes. Examples include millet in Lebanon, barley and safflower in Jordan and quinoa in the United Arab Emirates.

Soil salinization in Iraq is caused primarily by poor irrigation practices such as the use of saline water and soil compaction, leading to low drainage. According to the FAO, it is estimated that Iraq loses about 25 000 hectares per year of agricultural cropping land as a result of salinity.

With support from the IAEA and the FAO, plant biomass produced from growing salt-tolerant crops was used as animal feed. The amount of area under cultivation has increased, as farmers reclaimed saline land – which they now had the techniques to farm. “Hundreds of farmers have now returned to their land from northern to southern Baghdad,” said Ibrahim Bakri Adbulrazzaq, former Director General of the Agricultural Research Directorate of the Ministry of Science and Technology, who led the project in Iraq.

In Syria, scarcity of fresh water, deteriorating water quality and soil salinity are the major limiting factors for agricultural productivity and the sustainability of natural resources. “Results generated through the project were highly valuable,” said Mussadak Janat, researcher at the Atomic Energy Commission of Syria who led the project. “Within three years, the average okra yield became more than 13 tons per hectare, - comparable to what can be achieved in non-saline conditions. Barley yield exceeded 5 tons per hectare and about 4.5 tons as dry biomass despite irrigation with saline groundwater, and millet produced more than 3.5 tons grain yield”.

Based on the experience of experts in the different countries, Guidelines for Salinity Assessment, Mitigation and Adaptation Using Nuclear and Related Techniques have been developed to disseminate knowledge on the sustainable use of saline lands and brackish water, and on salt-tolerant trees and crops in arid lands.

“These guidelines can be used for all types of saline soils, helping farmers in various regions to scale up their production,” said Zaman.