Et Report
JAMMU, Sept 15: Around 7500 hectares of land in Jammu, Kathua and Samba is slowly becoming uncultivable due to saltation and increase in the Sodium content in past few years.Under a special project, using remote sensing data from Landsat MSS III, scientists from Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences (SKUAST-Jammu) have found that salt affected soil has emerged in patches at several villages like Dyala Chak, Saini, Tarore, Khokyal and Nagri, considered as rice and wheat bowl of the state.The survey was conducted after the scientists were receiving number of complaints about falling yield of Paddy and Wheat in the area and used the help of remote sensing to survey the identified area.
It is pertinent to mention here that with crop production in Jammu region showing constant decrease in past two decades, Agriculture Department has further decided to conduct new survey under technique known as Crop Cut Experiments to monitor crop production and productivity trends during past over a decade.Under the project field functionaries who have been trained by agri department will collect random sampling from farmlands which will be put to scientific analysis to create a database of production and trends in productivity during past few years. Sources said that the Soil Science and Agriculture Chemistry of the University conducted survey in the Ravi-Tawi canal irrigation system, which is irrigating thousands of kanals of land in the state.Soil scientist, Dr. K.R Sharma said that they have found increased level of sodium and salt content in the soil, which impair plant growth."Our research says that water logging is the main reason and after the opening up of Ravi-Tawi canal, salinsation has increased. We are continuing our research about the future impact", Dr. Sharma said.Scientists said that analysis of images have revealed that out of the total area of about 75,000 hectares under the Canal Irrigation System, 25,000 hectares is either wasteland, waterlogged or salt affected (Sodic). "Experiments have shown decreased wheat yields in affected soils. The farmers facing yield decrease in these areas, especially the low lying areas with water stagnation problems have been advised to consult the division of soil testing. |
