Alkalization is a kind of soil salinization. Compared with other types of soil salinization, the properties of alkalized soil are worse, leading to serious soil degradation and plant salt alkali stress, but the research is relatively less. In this review, the effects of sodium alkalization on soil properties and plant physiological and ecological processes were summarized. The effects of sodium alkalization on soil include deterioration of soil surface morphology,soil structure, pH, conductivity, exchangeable sodium percentage, Na⁺ and other ions, as well as the changes of soil microbial communities. The effects on plant growth and metabolism include osmotic stress, photosynthesis and respiration, ion balance and nutrient absorption. Meanwhile, the principles of physical, chemical and biological control measures for alkalized soil and the existing problems were briefly summarized. The purpose of this paper is to raise the attention to the phenomenon of soil alkalization and provide ideas for future research.