Integrated organochemical – Microbial solutions remediate degraded saline-sodic soils

Projections of global population growth underscore the urgent need to restore degraded saline-sodic soils to meet rising demands for food, feed, and fiber. This study evaluated the individual and combined effects of gypsum (G), elemental sulfur (S), vermicompost (VC), biochar (B), and microbial inoculation on soil remediation. A comprehensive soil degradation index (CSDI) was developed with total (CSDI-T) and minimum datasets (CSDI-M) using 13 soil properties. All treatments significantly improved soil health ( p < 0.05), with G + VC and S + VC combinations reducing CSDI-T by 84–85 % and 65–71 % and CSDI-M by 84–87 % and 66–70 %, respectively. Soil remediation rates correlated directly with crop yield, with CSDI models explaining 29–87 % of the variance in wheat yield. These findings highlight G/S + VC treatments as cost-effective, environmentally sustainable solutions for soil restoration and productivity enhancement, with CSDI models offering robust tools for evaluating amendment strategies.