Studies on Salt and Alkali Tolerance of Some Important Agricultural Crops of Uttar Pradesh

Salt and alkali tolerance of some important agricultural kharif and rabi crops was studied in pots on natural soils of varying grades of salinity and alkalinity in Uttar Pradesh. The tolerance was tested on the basis of germination and subsequent stand of crops during early period of their growth. A list of crops with varying tolerance to salts and alkali has been drawn out for various classes of saline and alkali soils on the basis of the investigation. The relative tolerance of these crops has been discussed. It has generally been observed that kharif crops are more sensitive to salts but can fairly stand the soil alkali. Rabi crops, on the other hand, are more tolerant to the salt, but sensitive to soil alkali. Amongst kharif crops maize, urd, cotton, jowar, paddy, madua and dhaincha are more tolerant. Paddy can resist alkali but is susceptible to salinity. Amongst rabi crops wheat and barley have shown better tolerance than others. Crops like pea, gram, masoor, berseem, oats, linseed and mustard are most sensitive to salt and alkali conditions.