Effect of Soil Salinity Levels on Silage Barley Growth at Saemangeum Reclaimed Tidal Land

Crop development and nutrient availability are strongly influenced by soil salinity levels. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of rice straw and nitrogen (N) fertilizer for silage barley under various soil salinity levels at Saemangeum reclaimed tidal land. Three levels of rice straw (0, 2.5, 5.0 ton rice straw $ha^{-1}$) and N (0, 150, 225 kg N $ha^{-1}$) were applied at 0.04, 0.23, 0.35% soil salinity levels. Biomass yield of silage barley was influenced by the interactions between rice straw application and N fertilization. Although there was no single effect of rice straw application on biomass yield, it was significantly increased with N application and a rice straw application of 5.0 ton $ha^{-1}$. Sodium content in silage barley was significantly lower at 0.04% salinity level, and but it was statistically increased with increasing soil salinity levels. Forage qualities such as total digestible nutrients and relative feed value of silage barley were significantly higher with N application at 0.04% salinity level, but there was no effect of rice straw application. Soil organic matter content was increased with N and rice straw application regardless of soil salinity level. The results of this study showed that the effect of rice straw and N fertilization on silage barley was influenced by soil salinity levels, which indicates that the management practice of silage barley at Saemangeum reclaimed tidal land should consider soil salinity levels.