REHABILITATION OF SOILS THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY TECHONOLOGIES: ROLE OF SESBANIA AND FARM YARD MANURE

Environmental problems due to land degradation in the developing countries have been a concern for the last decades. The rehabilitation of problem lands has been through chemical means and engineering approaches. Present studies were undertaken to examine the role of environmental friendly practices i.e. fitting the plant life in the existing soil conditions to address the salinity issue. The effects of Agroforestry (Sesbania) and farm yard manure (FYM) on rice (Oryza sativa) were investigated in a field study on a saline-sodic soil of Pakistan. Results revealed that both paddy and straw yields were significantly improved by the application of sesbania and FYM. Green manuring with sesbania improved the paddy and straw yield by 15.4 and 14.5 % respectively. Productive tillers were increased by the application of FYM but differences were not significant between 10 and 20 t/ha of FYM application. The increases in paddy yield due to application of 5, 10 and 20 t/ha of FYM were 6.8%, 24.4 % and 37.6 % respectively over control. Nitrogen and P utilization by rice were also significantly improved with the application of green manure. Nitrogen uptake by rice (grain+straw) was increased by 17.8 % and that of phosphorus by 21.9 % with the green manuring