Highlights of an experimental study on the vulnerability of a soil-crop system to drought and saline water

Climate change, if it occurs as projected, might have significant implications for agricultural and water resources. Among them soil moisture changes, which reflect changes in agricultural water availability, are of special concern due to their direct impact on crop growth. In this situation drought and salinity can be considered as related stressors and influence the productivity of agricultural systems. The present work is a review of the results of 7 years experiments in areas where the sea water intrusion affects the soil hydrological physical properties and the crop production. The question of vulnerability of a soil - crop system requires taking into account the positive effects of saline water on the water retention capacity of soils and of the yield response to relatively small changes in water availability.