Soil scientists and agronomists revealed that salinity has started rising in the agriculture fields with indiscriminate and unwise using of salt in the country's northwestern region creating an apprehension of detrimental impact to soil nutrients and fertility. They said the farmers, potato, paddy and banana growers in particular, have been applying salt (sodium chloride) in their fields directly and indiscriminately with hope of getting more yields but their injurious practice might create negative impacts on the soil health and biodiversity along with aquatic vegetation as its long-term force. Soil Resources Development Institute (SRDI) has been conducting a field-based research at different areas of the region and unearthed the abnormal phenomenon. "Normal salinity requirement is hardly 2 to 4 decisimen in a soil, whereas the content in some of the area was found more than 6 to 8 decisimen," revealed Faruque Hossain, Scientific Officer of Regional Station of Soil Resource Development Institute (SRDI) at a meeting on environmental issue held here recently. Despite long-distance from the seashore the appearance of high-rated salinity in the region has created apprehension of further declining of soil nutrients among the researchers and agricultural scientists. He viewed that disproportionate use of sodium chloride has started creating a negative nutrient balance due to the massive expansion of potato farming. Officials of Department of Agriculture Extension said the malpractice is being witnessed more among the growers who are farming paddy and potato on the leased and contracted lands especially in different northern districts. "Some greedy landowners and farmers are involved in the malpractice for harvesting more crops due to their ignorance encouraging the neighbours to follow them," said Abdur Rahim, a farmer of Godagari upazila of the district adding immediate steps should be taken to stop the misconduct. Quoting different research findings Mahabubur Rahman, Scientific Officer of SRDI Regional Laboratory told BSS that sodium is not an essential but beneficial element for plant growth. Some crops, such as potato, beet, cabbage, radish, and turnip, benefit greatly by the application of soluble sodium salts, especially if the soil is deficient in potassium. Sodium is also of direct benefit to plants indigenous to the sea-shore or to irrigated arid regions. Salts of this element are said to release more of potassium from the exchange complex and to help maintain phosphorus in a more available form. They also serve as a partial substitute for potassium in the case of potatoes and cotton. He noted that a comprehensive research on individual crop for the actual doses of salt as fertiliser has become essential but not to be used as disproportion rate. But the residual effect of soluble salt on soil is harmful for other crops and vegetable and the long-term use may affect badly on soil physical properties. The probable consequences of continuing the harmful practice included development of soil compactness, less permeability, high electrical conductivity and sodium absorption ratio, imbalance nutrient availability and finally degradation of soil fertility tends to develop infertile soil. If the present soil management practices prolong there is a chance of permanent yield decline and soil degradation. So, Mahbubur Rahman said, appropriate measures should be taken to sustain the soil productivity and underscored the need for popularising the integrated plant nutrient system (IPNS). In the current situation, he said the potato and paddy farmers have no scope to leave the salt application but due importance should be given on bringing them under the soil test- based balanced fertilisation system. To minimise the crisis, he put forward a set of recommendations which included farmers' awareness, accentuation to researcher and decision makers or national planners and soil test-based balances fertilisation.