Comparative study of fodder halophytes in saline and alkaline soils

A research was conducted in 2014-15 to know the usefulness of halophytes on saline and sodic stress with 3 halophytes and 6 treatments i.e Control (pH-7.0 and ECe-0.56), Sodic (pH-9.5 and 10.0) and Saline (ECe- 15, 25 and 35 dSm-1) which was done in Factorial randomized block design in small micro-plots in research area at Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana. We found that pHs of soils were less and ECe of soils were more affected by growing halophytes in this experiment. Dicanthium had more number of tillers and Suaeda had more number of branches under sodic stress. In case of Urochondra Setulosa, number of tillers had increased up to pH-9.5 thereafter it decreased. Likewise, all other plant nutrients concentration in the soil was found to be reduced which showed that halophytes utilized these nutrients for their growth under the stress conditions. the results showed that Dicanthuim annulatum can be grown as a fodder crop under low to high sodic stress conditions whereas Suaeda nudiflora and Urochondra setulosa can be grown easily under saline soils/ irrigated condtions and in areas with sea water.