Salt-affected soils are increasingly widespread in agricultural landscapes, but their responses to management practices in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions remain poorly constrained. Understanding how agricultural management influences GHG emissions in these soils is therefore essential for developing sustainable strategies that alleviate salinity stress, sustain crop productivity, and minimize environmental impacts. This study aims to quantitatively assess the impacts of different fertilization and irrigation practices on CO 2 and N 2 O emissions in salt-affected soils. A meta-analysis of 68 peer-reviewed studies was conducted to address this objective. The results showed that, from a mitigation perspective, a single biochar application was the most effective option, reducing carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions by 10.8% ( p = 0.2 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) emissions by 25.5% ( p = 0.1 ) compared to conditions without fertilizer application. However, when agronomic performance was also considered, the organic fertilizer combined with nitrogen (N) application emerged as the most balanced fertilization strategy, reducing GHG emissions while sustaining crop productivity. Similarly, Irrigation regimes below 60% of field capacity (FC) substantially reduced CO 2 (−41.3%, p < 0.01 ) and N 2 O (−87.5%, p < 0.01 ) emissions compared with full irrigation (100% FC). However, irrigation at 60–80% FC represented an optimal compromise between emission reduction and crop productivity. Across fertilization strategies, soil moisture and salinity were the primary environmental drivers of GHG emissions, whereas under irrigation regimes, soil moisture exerted the dominant control on CO 2 emissions. These findings indicate that GHG emissions in salt-affected agroecosystems can be mitigated without compromising crop yield through appropriate fertilization and irrigation management, providing a robust scientific basis for optimizing soil management practices. • A global meta-analysis synthesized data from 68 studies to assess CO 2 and N 2 O emissions in salt-affected soils. • Fertilization strategies influenced GHGs, with combined organic fertilizer and N offering the best emission-productivity balance. • Deficit irrigation significantly reduced CO 2 and N 2 O emissions, with 60–80% field capacity identified as an optimal regime. • Soil salinity and moisture were among the dominant environmental drivers regulating GHGs across management practices.
Kpalari et al. (Tue,) studied this question.