The publication of this Handbook was supported by the Russian Federation

The best soils for drainage water utilization are sands and sandy 
soils with a high infiltration capacity and a low cation exchange 
capacity
•  the use of  undiluted saline water for irrigation of  sandy soils: the water salinity should not 
exceed 5 g/l and salt-tolerant non-traditional crops should be used. Each batch of  irrigation 
water should completely percolate the soil, with 50-80% of  irrigation water going into the 
drainage system. The soil should be leached with fresh water every 2-3 years;
•  the use of  saline water diluted with fresh water: on loamy and clayey soils;
•  leaching of  Solonchaks and other salt-affected soils: water with a salinity level up to 6 g/l can 
be used. Leaching combined with irrigation of  rice can be performed with the use of  water 
that has a salinity level up to 4 g/l.
Leaching of  Solonchaks can be successful on soils of  predominantly sandy composition.
Correct introduction of  selected varieties of  non-traditional salt-tolerant crops such as African 
millet (Pennisetum glaucum) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) can become a reliable resource for animal 
grazing and supplementary feed used for livestock farming, especially, on highly saline soils and 
groundwater. In the Central Kyzylkum (central part of  the Kyzylkum Desert) and the Surkhandarya 
Region of  Uzbekistan and the Khatlon Region of  Tajikistan, the early sowing of  many of  the 
aforementioned crop species (sown in the late February, when the soil temperature is +5 to +10°C) 
allows 2-3 harvests of  green fodders and viable seeds to be obtained before the onset of  hot weather.
The most promising high-calorie grain fodders of  multipurpose use include species and genetically 
modified strains of  sorhgum that produce from 70.3 to 97.8 t/ha of  green biomass for fodder 
within one growing season, with a fodder moisture content of  71.1- 78.0% and sugar content of  
5.7-13%, which implies the production of  sugar at a rate of  1.7-5.7 t/ha.
African millet is a cost-effective alternative of  sorghum and often used as a succession crop in the 
reclamation of  marginal salt-affected lands. The use of  African millet helps to reduce the extent of  

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Soil salinity manаgement manual | Part I.Soil salinity management in the Eurasian Region 
summer fallow practices by replacing them with crop cultivation practices, which also contribute 
to increases in biodiversity and soil fertility.
A highly promising new variety of  millet called ‘Khashaki 1’ was created in 2012 as a result of  
experiments conducted at the Uzbek Agricultural Research and Production Centre (UARPC) and 
supported by the International Centre for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA). The ‘Khashaki 1’ millet 
has been recognized as a salt-tolerant, drought-tolerant and heat- tolerant variety of  dual purpose 
(biomass fodder and grain production) with high potential for successful growth under a wide 
range of  soil and climatic conditions. Farmers have expressed interest in this new variety of  millet 
for its prospective use in fodder production (green biomass and silage) in combination with maize 
and legumes (Fig. 5.4.1).