Organic fertigation system in saline-sodic soils: A new paradigm for the restoration of soil health

A continuous decline in soil organic C (SOC) and an increase in salt-affected areas are a challenge to future sustainability. We searched on the scientific databases of Web of Science, Scopus (Elsevier) database, and Google. We reviewed 101 studies of the last 25 yr with the following keywords: drip irrigation, fertigation system, liquid biochar, liquid organic, organic fertigation, saline-sodic soils, and salinization. Our objectives were to identify knowledge gaps to direct future organic research and assess the effect of organic amendments on meeting the plant's N, P, and K requirements in saline-sodic soils. The review showed that organic fertigation systems reduce salt concentration in irrigation water and inhibit glutamine synthetase by N-fixing diazotrophs. The system increases photosynthetic activities in plants, microbial biomass C, bacterial colonization, plant-mycorrhizal association, and phospholipid-derived fatty acids from microbes. It increases essential soil nutrients, including SOC; increases salt/water stress tolerance; and reduces Na+ ion toxicity in plants by regulating abscisic acid pathways in saline-sodic soils. It creates a conducive environment for phosphatase, dehydrogenase, urease, protease, alpha-amylase, and gibberellins. This review sketches the role of silicic acid, salicylic acid, and liquid organics in plant growth mechanisms: enhanced photosynthesis, increased salt/water tolerance, and reduced Na+ toxicity. It suggests novel strategies to develop a task force to promote a community-corporate farming system to adopt cost-effective green technologies for bioresource regeneration, diverse market production, and social capital generation. We develop a synergy between organic fertigation system and community-corporate farming to bring much-needed agricultural sustainability.

Automated summary

The study demonstrates that organic fertigation systems can decrease salt concentration in saline-sodic soils, increase plant photosynthetic activities and microbial biomass, enhance plant tolerance to salt stress, and improve soil health by regulating pathways of Na+ ion toxicity in plants.