High salt content in soil limits the ability of seeds to germinate, as well as plant growth and crop yields. Controlled leaching, typically through irrigation, removes or reduces to the total salt content in the soil, allowing for healthier crops.
Leaching occurs when crops drain the soil of its nutrients, making it less fertile. Leaching can be overcome, however, by crop rotation. For instance, legume helps to restore nitrogen in the soil, which is essential for plant growth. Another way to prevent leaching is to plant cover crops during the off-season. Cover crops act as natural fertilizers because they are left to die and mulch on the surface, then they are tilled into the soil before the next crops are planted. This cover crop then provides the nutrients needed for the desired crop to grow and survive.
