Overview
This project aims to understand the impacts of upland crops on soil microbiological processes in the presence of salinity intrusion associated with climate change.
Specifically, this project aims to: quantify the magnitude of change in microbial diversity and resultant soil physiochemical properties incurred from including an upland crop in conjunction with soil management practices in saline affected areas typically dominated by rice production; identify the impact of these microbial and physiochemical changes on farm productivity and emissions and identify and potentially isolate a salt tolerant legume inoculum from soil.
Soil microbes are adaptable and responsive to the environment in which they reside. There have been previous studies conducted in the Mekong River Delta (MRD) indicating the responsiveness of the microbial community to changes in soil conditions through the implementation of upland crop rotations. Salt tolerant legumes like cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) are being trialled in MRD field trials as potential alternative crops with promising results to date (SLAM/2018/144).
Dry season saline intrusion caused by rising sea levels, a changing climate, land subsidence and upstream damming is affecting 100 000's of hectares of the rice producing area of the Vietnamese Mekong River Delta (MRD) (MARD, 2020). Dry season rice losses in the MRD region have driven the recent identification and transition to upland crops that can tolerate dry season salinity to provide farmers with new income opportunities (SLAM/2018/144).
