Cutting Edge Science Takes On Salinity to Increase Farmland

Scientists from around the world are gathering at Riverside, CA, for an International Salinity Forum to find out to make more land available to feed the world growing population.

Riverside, CA (PRWEB) April 27, 2005 -- Worldwide, an estimated 12 to 17 million acres of arable land are lost for production annually from soil degradation. Of these, 5 million acres are directly attributable to soil salinization. In the United States, almost a quarter of the irrigated lands exhibit some degree of salinization resulting in significant crop losses.

Salinity poses a major environmental threat in many countries and a threat to their infrastructure. It is an enormous issue in agriculture, but also poses economic costs on roads, railroads, buildings, pipelines and any infrastructure that holds or carries saline water.

Among the 350 scientists attending the Forum are 35 from Australia.

Australia faces a particularly significant challenge from salinity with up to 14 million acres affected or with a high potential to be affected. By 2050 the area at risk is predicted to reach 42 million acres.

Australian researchers have responded to this challenge and are international leaders in many areas of salinity research. The strength of this research will be on display at the Forum, with papers presented by no less than 35 scientists from Australian universities, and government and private research agencies and organizations.

Among the many issues addressed by Australian researchers at this forum are papers on Response of Crops to Salinity (Dr Rana Munns, CSIRO) and Sustainable Grazing on Saline Land (Dr Nick Edwards, SA Research & Development institute). Both these papers report on major advances in our understanding of how to manage saline land in a productive and sustainable way.

These researchers are among eleven Australian scientists from the Cooperative Research Centre for Salinity, a partnership between eleven universities and state government and Australian government research agencies.

The strong Australian representation at the Forum will be marked by an Australia Night (25 April), hosted by the Cooperative Research Centre for Salinity and with the Hon John Olsen, Australian Consul General in Los Angeles, as Master of Ceremonies.

The Australia Night, at the Mission Inn, will feature Australian food, beer and wine, cooked and served as Aussies would.

The International Salinity Forum is sponsored by:
    Agricultural Research Service, USDA
    Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA
    Bureau of Reclamation, USDI
    Bureau of Land Management, USDI
    University of California Center for Water Resources
    Colorado River Salinity Control Forum
    International Water Association, IWA
    Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Plant-Based Management of Dryland Salinity

Contact:
Dr Richard Price
917 331 6740
richard.price@kiri-ganai.com.au
Or
Dr Bruce Munday
bruce@clearconnections.com.au

Background information (http://www.waterresources.ucr.edu/)

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