Effects of irrigation water salinity and leaching fraction on the growth of six halophyte species

Abstract

A pot experiment was carried out at Nahshala Farm, about 50 km from Al-Ain, UAE, during the 1998\99 growing seasons, using six halophytes : Spartina sp., Distichlis palmeri, Paspalum vaginatum, Juncus roemerianus, Salicornia bigelovii and Batis maritima, under two levels of leaching fraction, 0n25 and 0n50 and three levels of irrigation salinity, 10, 20 and 40 g\l. The objectives of the experiment were twofold : (1) to find out the optimum and threshold of saline water irrigation to keep salinity level down as much as possible in the soil using the leaching fraction technique ; and (2) to study the response (growth and biomass production) of some halophytes to different levels of salinity. The experiment was conducted in triplicate with a split-plot design arranged in a randomized complete block. Results indicate that these halophyte species can be grown productively at a leaching fraction between 0n25 and 0n50 when salinity of the irrigation water is less than 20 g\l. At higher salinities, Salicornia bigelovii can grow and yield satisfactorily under these conditions, while the other species may require more frequent irrigation at higher leaching fractions. Some of these tested halophytes may be able to revegetate the salt-affected lands and be a potential source of forage in these harsh habitats. This study supports the idea of seawater agriculture by demonstrating the possibility of using some high salt-tolerant halophytes at relatively higher leaching fraction in order to maintain satisfactory yield production of such halophytes.

Nipa (Distichlis palmeri): A perennial grain crop for saltwater irrigation

“…RGR on both flooded and aerobic conditions remained above 4% d À1 up to 25 g L À1 , about half the RGR on freshwater. Similar results were reported by Miyamoto et al (1996) and Noaman and El-Haddad (2000) and for D. palmeri grown in pots in greenhouse experiments. Salt tolerance was similar to that for D. spicata, which Yensen and Weber (1986).…”

“…While D. spicata selections have been successfully planted out as forage crops, the grain potential of D. palmeri was not successfully demonstrated in field trials in Australia (Leake, 2004). Only a few published scientific studies have attempted to evaluate the growth rate, salinity tolerance, flood tolerance, physiological adjustments, grain yield or nutritional values of D. palmeri, to determine if this plant could be a serious candidate as a modern perennial grain crop for saltwater irrigation (Glenn, 1987;Glenn and O'Leary, 1985;Miyamoto et al, 1996;Noaman, 2004;Noaman and El-Haddad, 2000;Yensen andWeber, 1986, 1987). Some halophytes are slow growing plants that would not be suitable crop plants, and grain production of the widespread D. spicata is usually sparse (Hanser, 2006) and the grain is too small to be of economic interest.…”

Growth and Uptake of Sodium and Potassium in Broad Bean (Vicia fabaL.) under Salinity Stress

“…These findings are supported by the reports of Irshad et al (2002) with corn; Ramoliya and Pandey (2002) with the salt-tolerant plant Salvadora oleoides; Romero-Aranda, Soria, and Cuartero (2001) with tomato; Noaman and El-Haddad (2000) with six halophytic plants; Caines and Shennan (1999) with tomato; Carvajal et al (1998) with melon; Morabito et al (1996) with Eucalyptus microtheca; and Cachorro, Ortiz, and Cerda (1993) with Phaseolus vulgaris.…”

Effect of Salinity in Irrigation Water on Some Plant Development Parameters of Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) and Soil Salinity

“…and soil salinity" Sahne water or soil is usually associated with reduced biomass production (Rogers et al 1997, Noaman andEl-Haddad 2000). Kazemabad et al (1989) stated that plant height, root weight and length, and leaf area of sainfoin decreased as the salinity increased.…”