Soil salinisation has been increasing globally due to intensive farming, irrigation with poor quality water and climate change. These soil processes are multifactorial phenomena that have been accentuated because of intensification of farming activities, poor soil management practices, water scarcity that dictates usage of poor-quality water for irrigation, and excessive application of fertilizers. Moreover, climate change may intensify these processes which eventually will lead to poor plant growth, further salinization and sodicity that in-turn will cause soil degradation and irreversible decline in soil health. Currently, over 100 Mha of soils have been affected by salinity and sodicity. Recent overview of these processes in Europe revealed that all countries along the Mediterranean coast exhibit some degree of soil salinization and sodicity. Future research should aim on carbon dynamics of saline soil, further exploration of proximal and remote sensing of soil properties and the development of new and innovative technologies to monitor these processes in-situ and real-time. SOILdarity has assembled a group of four leading scientists, who have been working in this field in Israel and abroad over the last three decades, to host a webinar specifically focused on soil salinity.

The purpose of the webinar on the impact of soil salinity on soil fertility is to summarize the knowledge gained in Israel, one of the countries most affected by soil salinization due to decades of intensive farming coupled with water scarcity that required the use of treated wastewater as the main source for irrigation. The webinar will take place on 9 March 2022, according to the following schedule.