The publication of this Handbook was supported by the Russian Federation

Technology 5. The surface improvement of degraded Artemisia- 
ephemeroid pastures

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Soil salinity manаgement manual | Part I.Soil salinity management in the Eurasian Region 
pastures is paid back in 4-5 years. Such artificial pastures maintain a high productivity for 20-35 
years if  used rationally.
In semidesert regions soil moisture reserves are quickly depleted, where snow is removed from mown 
areas by wind action. This is often the main reason for decreased yields of  green biomass and hay. 
Therefore, to create Kochia prostrata grasslands for harvesting hay and seeds, it is recommended 
to subdivide a field into 3-4 parts that can be used in turn year by year, i.e., to create a rotation of  
Kochia prostrata within an irrigated field (http://cac-program.org/news/ detail/450)
The complete germination of  sown seeds on the experimental Artemisia-ephemeroid pastures was 
due to natural irrigation in spring by water from melted snow and mud-flows descending from 
mountains down to piedmont plains.
In the mountain foot-hills there are many sources of  water that can be potentially used for irrigation: 
melt-water, water of  permanent and temporary mountain streams, small rivers and, if  required, 
water from artesian wells. In practice, good results were obtained by the construction of  water-
collecting pools, where the collected water can be held for a day to allow it to warm up and purify 
as sediment particles sink to the bottom prior to being used for the irrigation of  fields.
Irrigated plant nurseries (seed isles) were created near the Tutli village in the area of  Nurat city in 
the Navoiy Region (Uzbekistan). The plants grown with the help of  local female farmers included 
Kochia prostrata, Agropyron sp., Halothamnus subaphyllus and leguminous herbs (Onobrychis sp., Medicago 
sativa, Melilotus sp., Trifolium sp., etc.). Perennial species produced seed during the second year of  
growth, with irrigation applied once or twice over a whole growing season.
Fresh biomass and hay yields in the first year of  plant growth within the irrigated area were 10-20% 
higher than those on non-irrigated fields on same soils and under the same climatic conditions.
Plants can be sown in wide or narrow rows as pure or mixed cultures. Sometimes, check-row 
planting, transplanting (fodder species of  desert shrubs and small shrubs) or rootstock propagation 
(perennial grasses) can be practiced.
Conclusion
Soil degradation under the impact of  salts is the most important negative factor that limits the 
efficient use of  land resources. As a result of  progressive soil salinization, some agricultural lands 
have become unsuitable for normal use.
The first and foremost objectives of  biosaline agriculture in arid regions include restoration of  salt-
affected lands, creation of  highly productive agricultural biocenoses in place of  formerly degraded 
ones, their inclusion into agricultural use, the improvement of  the ameliorative state and fertility 
of  soils.
Soil rehabilitation by the use of  halophyte species is an effective way to both productively utilize 
and desalinize salt-affected soils that are unsuitable for traditional agricultural crops.