A review of saline-alkali soil improvements in China: Efforts and their impacts on soil properties

Abstract

It is a great challenge to manage and sustain agricultural production in saline-alkali soils due to their high salt content, poor structure, and low fertility, posing global threats to soil health, land sustainability, and food security. China, accounting for 10.1 % of the world’s saline-alkali land, faces increased pressure as arable land decreases, population increases, and economic grows. Since the 1960s, region-specific reclamation techniques, such as flood irrigation, drip irrigation with mulching, and drainage systems have been employed in China, and have brought about obvious reductions in salinity by over 60 % and pH improvements, with values decreasing from above 9.5 to below 8.5 for saline-alkali soils. More recent efforts have enabled China to develop extensive theoretical knowledge and management practices, culminating in a “Chinese solution” for saline-alkali land management. This review provides an overview of the occurrence, evolution, and challenges of saline-alkali soils in China. It also employs meta-analysis to synthesize management techniques, evaluate their effectiveness, and summarize the mechanisms that mitigate saline-alkali soil problems. This review highlights successful strategies and outcomes from typical saline-alkali regions in China, providing insights for future management practices and research of their global applicability.