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Not AvailableThe present study comprises of two experiments, first conducted in the field while the second in pot house. The field study was conducted on calcareous sandy loam soils of semi-arid regions irrigating crops with water of low salinity EC 4.6 dS m-1, high salinity 8.7 dS m-1, and alternate use of low and high salinity and observed the effect on growth, development and yield of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.). Among three modes of saline water irrigation, continuous low salinity water irrigation resulted in maximum growth and yield of all the three seed spice crops. It was followed by alternate use of irrigation where low and high salinity water irrigations were practiced. The maximum reduction in growth and yield was recorded in continuous use of high saline water irrigation. Among crops, fennel was the most tolerant followed by coriander and least tolerance was observed in fenugreek. Decrease in yield of coriander and fennel from low salinity to alternate irrigations with low and high salinity water was 6 and 27%, and 4 and 19%, respectively. In pot study, 12 promising varieties of each of coriander and fennel were evaluated for their tolerance to salinity of irrigation water ranging from 0.6 control to 3, 6, 9 and 12 dS m-1. Relative yield reduction in each variety of two crops in response to salinity levels was worked out using piecewise linear response [Salt model] fitted to yield in response to salinity. The decrease in yield ranged from 4 to 63% among different varieties of two crops. Coriander variety RCR-446 and GCR-2 were found to be most tolerant while leafy/vegetable type variety as Pant Haritma and seed type as Sadhna and Swathi were least tolerant to salinity. In case of fennel, RF-178, RF-35,GF-1 and GF-2 were most tolerant to salinity of irrigation water.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableThe availability of fresh water for agricultural use is declining in many areas of world due to increasing water needs of industries and municipalities. Thus agriculture faces challenges of using low quality waste water and saline water for crop production. Many studies indicate that these water resources traditionally classified as unsuitable for irrigation can be used successfully to grow crops without long-term hazardous consequences to crops and soils if proper management strategies are established. These strategies include adopting advanced irrigation technology, selection of salt tolerant crops, leaching of salts below the crop root zone. Water scarcity is becoming one of the major limiting factor for sustainable agriculture in the semi arid regions of the world. In India the entire arid and semi-arid regions have been characterised by low rainfall and has the problem either of water scarcity or poor quality groundwater. The use of saline/alkali ground water posses a major threat to plant growth and health, which is mostly observed in semiarid parts (Minhas and Bajwa, 2001). In India, the regions identified for poor quality water are major parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, North western UP and South western Punjab. Poor quality water constitutes 32-84 % of ground water surveyed in different parts of India is either saline or alkali (Minhas, 1996). Saline water upto 11 dS/m has been used successfully for commercial irrigation for a number of crops globally (Rhodes et al., 1992). However, in order to assure maximum yield form crops irrigated with saline water, it is necessary to develop special management techniques. Presently drip irrigation is widely regarded as the most promising irrigation system to use saline water. Several factors contribute to the good results obtained with saline water irrigation using drip irrigation under protected structures. (I) less water use results in less salt deposited on the beds, (ii) avoidance of leaf burn, (iii) high frequency drip irrigation prevents the soil from drying out between irrigations, thereby avoiding peaks in salt concentration and concomitant high osmotic potentials and (iv) salts are continuously leached out from the wetted section and accumulate at the wetting front away from the active root zone.Not Availabl

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Popular article in Indian HorticultureUnder arid and semi-arid regions of the world, major problems are salinity, alkalinity and calcareousness, which seem further aggravate with changing climate scenario. Besides, most of the developing countries lie in this zone with flanging population, resultant shrinking down of land and good quality of irrigation water. About6.7 million ha area in India is affected by soil salinity and alkalinity and about 25% of ground waters are sodic and /or saline.Not Availabl