- Applied research
The scientific research done by the program focuses on a large variety of fundamental questions in a number of fields of biological and environmental science. This is to further assist an integrated system of documentation activities in the field, with view to broadening and extending the concepts of desert studies and desertification control. Research programes include:
- Practicable technologies for desert cultivation.
- Promotion of local traditional techniques in desert cultivation.
- Â Use of high saline water in agriculture and improvement of water use efficiency in drylands.
- Â Sand stabilization and improvement of poor soils using soil conditioners and organic residues.
- Decomposition, nutrient dynamics and synchrony in desertified soils.
- Â Soil quality indices as a function of land use.
- Â Amelioration of salt-affected soils and plant nutrition under salinity, phytoremediation of soil salinity.
- Completed research
- Impact of long-term cultivation of irrigated Vertisols on soil quality.
- Monitoring decomposition and nutrient release of some agroforestry tree litters in the semi-arid tropics.
- Nutrients dynamics of a decomposing water hyacinth under desert soil
- Monitoring decomposition and nutrient release of Mesquite, Cassia and Neem in a soil.
- Cultivation of poor sandy soils with organic amendments
- On going research
1. Soil quality under different long-term management systems
2. Use of sugarcane beggase for amelioration of a sandy soil
3. Quality parameters determining Nitrogen mineralization from various manures under salt-affected soils
4. Long-term effects of some shelterbelts on soil quality parameters.
5. Effects of incorporation of crop residue on recovery of 15N from urea-N and residue-N in a crop rotation system