Accelerated Reclamation of Alkaline Argillaceous Soils of Azerbaijan

This book - written by the late Professor Mukhtar Abduyev and now available in English for the first time - describes the tackling of a long-established problem which had enormous implications for Azerbaijan's security of food supply. The task was to find more efficient methods of reclaiming the saline soils that covered more than 60% of the republic's lowlands - some 2.5 million hectares were resistant to improvement. Existing methods of reclamation involved vast amounts of water for leaching and the construction of extensive drainage systems, however these methods could take up to 10 years to become effective. Professor Abduyev typically adopted a practical scientific approach, researching various methods of salt removal and their effect on soils and the crops to be grown in them. He was also a highly respected teacher and was directly involved in field investigations, at the same time providing leadership and valuable hands-on experience for graduate students and research workers. Abduyev's work was a major contribution to streamlining the vital work to bring more Azerbaijani land into effective crop and food production.