Ed Barrett-Lennard

Food production on present and future saline soils deserves the world’s attention particularly because food security is a pressing issue, millions of hectares of degraded soils are available worldwide, freshwater is becoming increasingly scarce, and the global sea-level rise threatens food production in fertile coastal lowlands. Future of Sustainable Agriculture in Saline Environments aims to showcase the global potential of saline agriculture. The book covers the essential topics, such as policy and awareness, soil management, future crops, and genetic developments, all supplemented by case studies that show how this knowledge has been applied. It offers an overview of current research themes and practical cases focused on enhancing food production on saline lands.

FEATURES
• Describes the critical role of the revitalization of salt-degraded lands in achieving sustainability in agriculture on a global scale
• Discusses practical solutions toward using drylands and delta areas threatened by salinity for sustainable food production
• Presents strategies for adaptation to climate change and sea-level rise through food production under saline conditions
• Addresses the diverse aspects of crop salt tolerance and microbiological associations
• Highlights the complex problem of salinity and waterlogging and safer management of poor-quality water, supplemented by case studies

This book aims to encourage Australian farmers to revegetate salt-affected land with saltland pastures. These pastures can be profitable, sustainable and of benefit to the environment and the broader community. The book has been written by Australia’s foremost authority on saltland pastures, Dr Ed Barrett-Lennard with contributions from Clive Malcolm, who worked with Ed on the development of saltland pastures in the Department of Agriculture of WA for many years, and Andrew Bathgate, a technical specialist in salinity economics from NSW Agriculture. Dr Barrett-Lennard is acknowledged as a leading researcher in the field of saltland revegetation and productive use and rehabilitation of saline land. He was awarded the National Dryland Salinity Program’s 2002 WE Wood Award for excellence in salinity research and development, recognising his long-standing contribution to managing the salinity risk in Australia. The book aims to make saltland pastures accessible to the widest possible audience. Its major readership is Australian farmers and those who advise them (agency staff, industry advisers and landcare coordinators). However, more specialised information has been provided in the footnotes for technical experts and students of the field...

This book is the proceedings of a seminar held at Cunderdin on 19-27 May 1986 and is reprinted from Reclamation and Revegetation Research Vol. 5 Nos. 1-3. Reports of several aspects of forage and fuel production on saline soils are given from 16 different countries. Papers are presented under the following headings: salt affected wasteland: nature and distribution; salt tolerant plant resources; production from salt affected soil; establishment problems and methods; and utilization, management and social aspects. Relevant papers are abstracted separately.