Effects of different adjustment measures on improvement of light-moderate saline soils and crop yield

Field experiments were carried out for three years to explore effects of different adjustment measures on light-moderate saline soils in North China Plain. The results indicated that in wheat/maize rotation system, straw mulching, structure conditioner, straw mulching binding structure conditioner could reduce topsoil salinity, increase yield and improve economic efficiency. Straw mulching binding structure conditioner showed the optimal effect on increasing yield, and straw mulching showed the suboptimal effect. At the end of this experiment, organic matter content in topsoil by using both of the optimum measures increased by 9.27% or 8.33%, respectively, comparing with local conventional management. Straw mulching promoted the accumulation of soil nutrients, and total N, available N, available K increased significantly under this condition. Considering the comprehensive effect of the soil desalination, crop yield, economic efficiency and soil nutrients, straw mulching binding structure conditioner was the optimal adjustment measure in this study to ameliorate light-moderate saline soils in North China Plain, and straw mulching was suboptimal.