The Nature And Management Of Salt Affected Land In Saskatchewan

Land and water, the two crucial natural resources for agriculture, are decreasing as a result of burgeoning population of the country. At the same time, various forms of degradation are taking a toll on the productivity of these resources so much so that large areas have been taken out of plough. Current assessment reveal that already 6.73 million ha area has gone out of cultivation because of excessive salts or high sodicity and this area is likely to expand to 20 million ha by 2050 because of the faulty irrigation and drainage water management practices being adopted in irrigation commands. Of the current affected area, more than 50% is sodic in nature, which requires some kind of chemical amendment for reclamation. While our knowledge and understanding of the causes, nature and harmful effects of sodic soils have tremendously increased, availability of gypsum on account of environmental problems on its mining has caused concerns. Apparently, there is a need to push for other amendments especially the industrial wastes and publish the information in practical terms for various stakeholders. This book is an attempt in this direction. Taking into account the widely varying needs of the clients, the chapters of this book have been organized to include history, origin and genesis of sodic lands, basic principles of diagnosis, nature and properties of sodic lands, amendments, reclamation package and alternate land management. Since sodic water irrigation is one of the factors in the formation of sodic lands, a separate chapter deals with this issue highlighting the extent and distribution, chemical characteristic and management options for the use of sodic water. The economic analysis procedures and socio-economic issues of sodic land reclamation are included in a separate chapter with appropriate case studies. Since latest scientific information on new technologies with case studies is included, we believe that this book is an improvement over the existing books and is a useful addition to the literature on this subject. In our view the information contained in this book would be handy to field practitioners in the Government Departments and NGOs to plan and undertake large sodic land reclamation projects. Since the basic principles and practices have been very well elucidated, the book can be used as a text book in agricultural and engineering colleges. It can also be used as a source material in training programs being organized by various scientific organizations. We believe that the book would prove to be a handy reference resource to all those interested in sustainable irrigated agriculture for the food and nutritional security of the nation.

This new series aims at covering the development in the field of biotechnology in the form of comprehensive, illustrated and well-referenced reviews. With the expansion in the field of biotechnology both in industry as well as in education, coupled with the increase in the number of new journals reporting new results in the field, the need for a publication that is continuously providing reviews is urgent. The goal of Biotechnology Annual Review is to fill this gap. Reviewed topics will include biotechnology applications in medicine, agriculture, marine biology, industry, bioremediation and the environment. Fundamental problems dealing with enhancing the technical knowledge encountering biotechnology utilization, regardless of the field of application, will be emphasized. Other issues, dealing with policy and regulation of biotechnology as well as the problems of development in developing countries, as related to biotechnology, will be included in the various issues. The "Editorial Board" of Biotechnology Annual Review encourages suggestions and contributions of articles from industry or from academic institutions that would constitute a comprehensive covering of a relevant topic in biotechnology. Proposals for contributions and/or suggestions for topics for future volumes in this series should be sent to the Editor: Professor M. Raafat El-Gewely Department of Biotechnology Institute of Medical Biology University of Tromsø 9037 Tromsø Norway Tel: (+47) 77 644654 Fax: (+47) 77 645350

The Canadian Farming Community is facing numerous ongoing challenges, including rapidly changing technologies, the gradual erosion of the rural lifestyle, growing consumer concerns about the healthiness of food, and growing environmental concerns (including climate change). This book begins with an historic overview of agriculture in Canada, followed by a statistical profile of the contemporary Canadian farm/ranch, supporting agri-industrial complex, and the innumerable farm organizations in Canada. The vital role of international trade and government support in the evolution of Canadian agriculture is also highlighted. Resource management issues and related “hot button” issues (e.g. climate change, GMO’s) are also addressed in considerable detail. In addition, Dr. Anderson identifies the likely trends in Canadian agriculture in the immediate years ahead. Emphasizing the diversity, complexity, strength and vitality of the agricultural sector, Canadian Agriculture in the 21st Century ultimately highlights how it effectively molds and remains integral to the socioeconomic fabric of both rural and urban Canada. An underlying theme is the importance of having Canadian agriculture become increasingly ecofriendly in the challenging years ahead, particularly the need to gradually adopt more sustainable, regenerative (organic) technologies and the need to more pro-actively serve as a vital CO2 sink in climate change mitigation. Dr. Anderson also suggests that the public should financially compensate farmers/ ranchers for protecting environmental amenities that accrue to everyone. A complimentary theme is the need for Canadian agriculture to become increasingly sensitive to consumer concerns, particularly with respect to rigorous health standards, animal welfare, and sustainable resource management.

Remote sensing of the environment is covered through spectroscopic analysis of soil and vegetation response during active and passive sensing. Fundamental aspects of spectroscopic methods for environmental applications are given. Applications range from remote sensing of saline soils, soil moisture detection, landscape evolution, weed detection, fluorescence imaging, and use of vegetation indices to measure ecosystem variables such as plant stress.