Central Soil Salinity Research Institute,Indian Council of Agricultural Research

Insect herbivory represents a major biotic stress that leads to significant losses in crop yield and quality worldwide. Aphids, in particular, damage wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), a staple crop that provides nearly 20

Land degradation affects about 120.72 million hectare (Mha) area in India. Water erosion, wind erosion, soil salinity, soil acidity, mining, and waterlogging are the major forms of land degradation. Land degradation leads to reduction in soil quality, biodiversity, ecosystem services, and environmental pollution. Moreover, cultivation of crops under such lands is either impractical or compromised with crop quality. Therefore, the adoption of rehabilitation measures is sine qua-non for restoring soil quality without compromising yield potential. Despite numerous localized studies, significant research gaps persist regarding (i) the comparative assessment of rehabilitation measures across diverse agro-ecological zones, (ii) the quantification of long-term ecological and economic benefits, and (iii) the integration of socio-economic and policy dimensions for large-scale adoption. Addressing these gaps is crucial for designing evidence-based land restoration strategies in India. Accordingly, the objectives of this review are: (1) to assess the current status and extent of land degradation in India; (2) to evaluate the ecological and economic impacts of major degradation types; (3) to synthesize and compare the effectiveness of agronomical, mechanical, agroforestry, and bio-engineering rehabilitation measures; and (4) to identify critical research and policy needs for sustainable land restoration. Findings from published studies reveal that interventions such as sub-surface drainage, agroforestry, shelterbelts, and bench terracing significantly improve soil health, increase cropping intensity and yields, and reduce erosion losses. For example, sub-surface drainage increased cropping intensity by 25-100 %, while agroforestry and bench terracing enhanced SOC and reduced erosion losses by up to 80 %. Therefore, it can be concluded that the implementation of context-specific rehabilitation measures is essential to the restoration of degraded lands and has the capacity to address the problems of livelihood, nutritional, and environmental security. The results of this review will help researchers, land managers, and decision-makers create appropriate strategies for successfully eradicating the issue and comprehend the importance of rehabilitation measures in preventing land degradation to improve ecosystem services in India.

Unsafe pesticide use in agriculture poses severe risks to human and environmental health. Yet, the behavioral drivers of protective measures remain poorly understood, particularly in North India, where intensive agriculture has degraded the agroecosystem. This study investigated farmers' protective behavior (PB) through the Health Belief Model (HBM) using an integrated framework that combines Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) with Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). Field survey data from the Hindon River Basin revealed widespread use of hazardous insecticides (WHO Class Ia, Ib, and II; >7 applications/season), poor adoption of personal protective equipment (PPE), and unsafe handling and disposal practices, leading to acute health symptoms including skin and eye irritation, headaches, and dizziness. Although most farmers recognized the health risks from pesticide exposure, awareness of environmental impacts remained limited. PLS-SEM findings indicated that cues to action (beta = 0.228, p < 0.01), self-efficacy (beta = 0.188, p < 0.05), and perceived benefits (beta = 0.182, p < 0.05) significantly promoted PB, whereas higher perceived barriers and perceived severity had negative effects; perceived susceptibility showed no direct effect. fsQCA demonstrated its indirect role and identified combinations of high perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, self-efficacy, and education as the most effective pathways for strengthening PB. Self-efficacy emerged as a core condition for safe behavior, while the absence of cues to action was linked to unsafe practices. These findings highlight the need for targeted, group-specific interventions such as training, awareness, and regulatory measures to inform integrated environmental health policies in similar agricultural contexts across developing countries.

Significant areas of salt-affected soils were distributed along the west coast and the inland plains of Gujarat State (India). Repeated seawater inundation in coastal plains, in-situ formation, and alkaline parent materials in inland areas, caused degradation of soil and water and declining productivity. The use of poor-quality (saline/ sodic) groundwater for agriculture and lack of natural drainage caused salinization in the coastal and inland plain. A thorough characterisation of salt-affected soils was required to assess the spatial extent and distribution using low-cost remote sensing data, and to understand complex salt composition and soil chemical properties for classification and management of soil salinity. The estimates of salt-affected soils were compared with the legacy datasets to understand salinity dynamics. Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) R2 L3 data for 2014-15, 2016, and 2018 with improved resolution (23.5 m) were used to characterise salt-affected soils using visual and digital image (spectral) analysis and was integrated with ground truth survey (1573 sites), and physico-chemical characteristics of soil samples (up to 30 cm soil depth) and representative nine soil profiles for the characterization of sub-surface depths (150 cm depth). The geo-referenced image interpreted units were superimposed with soil sampling sites; and base map layers to delineate and assess spatial extent and distribution of soils using GIS. These soils were also characterized to assess nature and degrees of salinity/sodicity. Spatial interpolation studies suing inverse distance technique were also conducted to assess the variations of soil salinity (ECe), sodicity/ alkalinity (pHs), and soluble cations (Na+, K+, Ca 2 +, and Mg 2 +) and anions (CO 3 2 -, HCO 3 -, Cl-, and SO 4 2 -) for salinity management. High reflectance from salt pan (commercial salt production) and crusts (massive structure of highly saline salt crystals and soil materials); healthy crops and waterlogged areas facilitated the delineation of barren and extremely salt-affected soils along the coastal plain. The mixed pixels for moderately to slightly salt-affected soils that showed reflectance from closely associated salt, soil, crop, and adequate moisture were delineated integrating image interpretation, ground truth, and laboratory analysis data of soil samples. A large number of irrigation / drainage channels and creeks in coastal and deltaic plains, and mudflats / mangrove swamps and arid conditions prompted the development of a wide range of salt-affected soils showing high clay content (P1, P4, and P5), high electrical conductivity (ECe > 4.0 dS m − 1 ); and dominant Cl − , Ca 2+ , and Mg 2+ salts, respectively. Higher Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), CO 3 2 - and HCO 3 - contents in saline-sodic soils (P3, P4, and P5) under irrigation; higher Mg 2+ than Ca 2+ in coastal soils (P1) of the southern plain and higher K + in peninsular and coastal plains (P1, P2, P6 to P8), were prominent features, respectively. Such database in digital format facilitates regional planning in reclamation and management of salt-affected soils to improve productivity. Following reclamation, these soils can be used for agriculture, horticulture and forestry plantation using controlled irrigation practices even in the Kuchchh region (Gujarat State) where arid/semiarid climate and poor quality groundwater are primary constraints for sustained agriculture.

Soil degradation is a key environmental concern in sodicity–affected agroecosystems due to the application of alkaline irrigation. This study reports the performance of several sodicity reclamation methods adopted to develop a practical solution for the sustainable utilisation of alkali irrigation for agricultural use. Single–time application of elemental S–based formulation (ES), mineral gypsum and annual application of rapid acidulated manure (RAM) were evaluated for three years in a field lysimeter experiment in factorial randomised block design and three replications with high pH (pH1:2 8.7 ± 0.21) soil under rice–wheat cropping system for neutralising the deleterious effect of 3, 6, and 7.5 me L–1 residual sodium carbonate (RSC) in irrigation. Gypsum, ES, and RAM application increased Ca2+soluble and lowered pH and sodium adsorption ratio (SARe), Na+ to (Cl– + SO42–) ratio, (CO32– + HCO3–) to (Cl– + SO42–) ratio, but increased the cation ratio of soil structure stability in soil solution saturation paste extract. The available K, S, fluorescent diacetate hydrolyzing, and alkaline phosphatase activities were greater on amending sodic soil with ES than with gypsum and RAM. The soil organic C, Olsen–P, microbial biomass C and N, and dehydrogenase activity were higher for the soils amended with RAM, gypsum, and ES than the control. Amending soil with ES improved overall system yield ( 44