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Water scarcity and the predicted impact of climate change will necessitate the use of alternate available water resources in agriculture, such as saline water, to narrow the gap between demand and supply of freshwater. Saline water, in combination with freshwater or alone, is used to irrigate cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in Central Asia in summer when there are often severe freshwater shortages. The use of saline water without appropriate management can result in the accumulation of salts in the root zone with associated negative impacts on crop productivity. The accumulation of salts in surface soil layers can be managed by reducing evaporation from the soil surface. A 3-year field study on a saline soil (EC_e=13.9dSm⁻¹; SAR=3.1) in the Syr-Darya River Basin of Uzbekistan was undertaken to evaluate the effects of wheat straw mulching on alternate irrigation furrows (1.5tha⁻¹) and different levels of irrigation …