The publication of this Handbook was supported by the Russian Federation

Research and dissemination of  best practices
Studies  on  irrigated  lands  affected  by  salinization,  alkalinization  and  waterlogging  have  been 
conducted at the L.K. Gossu Research Institute of  Irrigation in Kyrgyzstan since the 1970s. 
The knowledge obtained is disseminated over the country and serves as a basis for practical 
recommendations [1, 4].
Recommendations for the amelioration of  salt-affected lands (based on 
experimental research in Besh-Terek, Moskovsky District, Kyrgyztan, 
1983-2006)
The experimental research had the following objectives:
•  Assessment of  the ameliorative condition of  soils at the Besh-Terek site with the use of  the 
following parameters: 1) spatial distribution patterns of  soil salinity and alkalinity, 2) total salt 
concentrations in groundwater, drainage water and irrigation water, 3) spatial distribution of  
humus, available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents within the plough layer and 
4) drainage efficiency;
•  Determination of  soil requirements for leaching treatments and calculation of  irrigation 
rates for soil leaching;
•  Determination of  soil requirements for gypsum application and calculation of  gypsum 
application rates;
•  Determination of  soil requirements for fertilization, calculation of  fertilizer application rates 
and suggestion of  the best fertilization technique;
•  Establishment of  the best practice of  horizontal drainage maintenance;
•  Mapping soil salinity within the 0-100 cm layer during the course of  leaching treatments.
Resulting recommendations on best practice led to effective land use and management for a period 
of  30 years. Large-scale soil leaching was carried out at the research site in the 1970s and 1980s, 
with operation of  the drainage system supervised by the Institute of  Irrigation. Up until the present 
time, the former experimental plots are in better condition than lands of  a similar kind.