CSSRI Annual Report 2010-11 - Central Soil Salinity Research ...

CSSRI Annual Report 2010-11
PREFACE
Food and nutritional security of the ever increasing population calls for sustained productivity
from the limited land and water resources, which is further thwarted by the multiplicity of resource
degradation problems. Salt affected soils alone have assumed significant global dimension, as
about 1000 million ha area in more than hundred countries is affected by this menace. India, with
6.73 million ha of salt affected lands, suffers huge economic losses. Besides, rapid salinization and
sodication of land in the irrigated landscape is inflicting unacceptable environment damages. Poor
quality ground water, shrinking biological diversity and threat of the global climatic change have
added new dimensions to the already complex problem of rational management of soil and water in
salt affected environment. As such, we have to strive to develop technologies that are acceptable to
the farmers both in economic and the environment terms.
The year 2010-11 at CSSRI has been an eventful year, wherein we not only pursued the on-going
research programmes to develop cost-effective and eco-friendly technologies but also indulged in
thinking, discussing and planning new research agenda to ensure sustainable productivity in the
saline environment. Some of the significant research achievements for the year relate to: development
of decision support system for enhancing productivity in irrigated saline environment, utilization
of bio-sludge from the fertilizer industry for vegetables production, sustainable land and water
management in coastal eco-system, selection of salt-tolerant varieties of rice in Sundarbans through
PPP mode and technology of direct seeded rice under reclaimed sodic soils. The resource conservation
technologies being developed at the institute attracted large number of dignitaries and farmers from
far and near.
The newly constituted Research Advisory Committee (RAC) under the Chairmanship of
Dr. Pratap Narain, Former Vice-Chancellor of Rajasthan Agricultural University and Ex-Director
CAZRI, Jodhpur, met during October 22-23, 2010 to review the research programmes of the institute
and offered very valuable suggestions for future research agenda. Some of the researchable issues
identified by RAC included: development of technologies for groundwater recharge under saline
environment, bio-remediation and phyto-remediation measures to manage poor quality water
including waste waters, shifting the focus of multi-enterprise model to major enterprises in the context
of agro-social conditions, upgradation of monitoring and evaluation activities in phased manner,
reclamation and management of waterlogged sodic/saline soils and impact of climate change on
crops grown in salt affected environment. The newly constituted QRT under the chairmanship of
Dr. S.S. Khanna Former Advisor (Agriculture), Planning Commission, GoI, New Delhi also had its
first meeting on November 4, 2010 in the presence of Dr. A.K. Singh DDG (NRM) at New Delhi.
The second meeting was held during December 22-24, 2010 at CSSRI, where a comprehensive plan
was prepared to complete the task in a time bound manner. Staff Research Council meeting was
organized during December 6-10, 2010. The progress of each project was reviewed and new research
programmes formulated keeping in view the RAC recommendations.
The Kharif and Rabi Kisan Melas were organized. While Dr. R. S. Paroda, Former DG, ICAR and
Chairman, Haryana Kisan Aayog addressed the farmers in the Kharif Kisan Mela, Dr. N.K. Tyagi,
Member, ASRB, New Delhi addressed them during the Rabi Kisan Mela. Coinciding with the Rabi
mela, CSSRI organized the institute 42nd Foundation day on March 1, 2011. The foundation day
lecture on “Water for Food and Environment: An Overview” was delivered by Dr. N.K.Tyagi. He
also distributed the CSSRI excellence awards to the winners on this occasion. Besides, a number of
workshops/training programmes were organized during the year.
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