Introduction of a Second Rice Crop and Mulching as Reclamatory Management Practices of Saline Soils of Mono-cropped Areas of South 24 Parganas, West Bengal

Coastal saline soils of Sunderban areas of West Bengal are cropped only once during monsoon for want of good quality water. The areas are characterized by underground water of poor quality present at a shallow depth and poor soil-water conductivity. Leaching efficiency of soil during monsoon period could be improved by ‘surface mulching’ of soil during preceding dry uncropped period. This was because of greater amount of water retained in the profiles. Mulched soils produced significantly higher yield than unmulched soils. High accumulation of salts took place in soils left fallow, under normal practice, during winter season.