An alternative to modern practice of desalinization of lands, which requires a large expenditure of irrigation water and worsens soil properties, can be a biological method of restoring fertility by growing licorice.
Licorice increases the content of agronomically valuable waterproof aggregates by 70-80%, reduces the volumetric mass of the soil to the optimum density (1.3-1.4 g / cm3). Roots, penetrating to a depth of 3.5-4 m, consume a huge amount of saline groundwater, reducing their level and promoting desalinization of the earth to a weak degree. The humus content rises from 0.7% to 1.5-1.64% (depending on the age of the plants), and also enriches the soil with nutrients, due to the accumulation of nitrogen (in leaves), phosphorus (in stems) and potassium (in seeds ).
Licorice is planted vegetatively (rhizomes) on degraded or low-productive lands, where production of other crops is unprofitable. Care of crops is minimal (fertilization, cultivation, irrigation). Licorice wins in competition with weeds, including reeds. On one place grows more than ten years. After the rotation, the rhizomes are removed and the field is prepared for a different culture. Difficulty is the harvesting of powerful rhizomes penetrating to great depth. The concomitant benefit of growing licorice for reclamation purposes is the profit from the sale of roots and aboveground mass, which possess medicinal properties, valuable forage qualities for animals. With proper care, the roots can be harvested as early as the 3rd year, the yield will be 10 tonnes / ha. The profit is about 11 million. Sum. From 1 hectareLicorice root