Abstract form

Evaluating the ability of hyper accumulator plants for the reclamation
of salt affected soils
A. M. EL-GHAMRY*, A. A. MOSA, A., G. A. K. REHAM
Soils Dept., Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, Egypt
Reclamation of salt affected soils requires huge amounts of water for alleviation of soil
salinity, but the problem is the supplies of good-quality water are falling short of
demand for intensive irrigated agriculture in many arid and semi-arid regions. The
judicious selection of salt tolerant plants, which are able to grow successfully on saline
soils to remove enough amounts of salts to reduce salinity may improve or bring easily
such soils under cultivation, among these plants kochia and barnyard grass could be
ideal plants.
For this purpose two pot experiments were conducted at the experimental greenhouse of
the Faculty of Agriculture, Mansoura University, Egypt, to estimate the ability of kochia
(Kochia scoparia) and barnyard grass (Echinochloa crusgalli) on salt affected soils
reclamation. Soil salinity was decreased after cultivation of kochia and barnyard grass
under both clayey and sandy soil conditions, and kochia was more efficient in
decreasing soil salinity as compared with barnyard grass. Soluble cations (Na + , K + ,
Ca ++ , and Mg ++ ), and anions (CO 3 - , Cl - , and SO 4 = ) were decreased after cultivation of
kochia and barnyard grass under clayey and sandy soils, whereas (HCO 3 - ) anions were
increased. Nutrients concentration in kochia and barnyard grass were varied according
to soil salinity in both soil types, and it is cleared that concentrations of N, P, K, Ca and
Mg were decreased, whereas Na was increased.
Keyword: Kochia , Barnyard grass, Salt affected soils, Reclamation
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