Mapping Slight and Moderate Saline Soils in Irrigated Agricultural Land Using Advanced Land Imager Sensor (EO-1) Data and Semi-Empirical Models

ABSTRACTAround the world, especially in semi-arid regions, millions of hectares of irrigated agricultural land are abandoned each year because of the adverse effects of irrigation, mainly secondary salinity and sodicity. Accurate information about the extent, magnitude, and spatial distribution of salinity and sodicity will help create the sustainable development of agricultural resources. In Morocco, south of the Mediterranean region, the growth of the vegetation and potential yield are limited by the joint influence of high temperatures and water deficit. Consequently, the overuse of surface and ground water, coupled with agricultural intensification, generates secondary soil salinity. Knowing when, where, and how salinity may occur is very important to the sustainable development of any irrigated production system. Remedial actions require reliable information to help set priorities and to choose the type of action that is most appropriate in each situation. Ground-based electromagnetic measurements of...