Testing of Some Halophytic Plants for Forage, Biofuel Production and Soil Bioremediation

Rapid population growth in the developing countries of arid and semiarid regions and concomitant decline in productivity of agricultural lands due to the negative impact of climate changes, shortage of good-quality irrigation water and increasing soil salinity, are exerting enormous pressure on the dwindling supplies of human consumption for forage, food and fuels. Biosaline agriculture is a proper solution in this saline environment. It can facilitate the adaptation to the increasing salinization and decreasing availability of fresh water. To achieve the aforementioned objectives, a Field trial was carried out in salt affected soil around the Coast of Qaron Lake to evaluate the impact of irrigation with diluted saline lake water (12.5, 25, 37.5, 50, 62.5, 75, 87.5 and 100% ) in addition to Fresh water, on total fresh productivity, chlorophyll a + b, proline, soluble carbohydrates, succulence, osmotic potential, nutritional value and the content of cellulose and hemi-cellulose ofthese halophytic forage plants for biofuel production as well as its role in bioremediation of the salt affected soil. All tested plants tolerated harvesting eight times per year and were capable of recovering and maintaining a fresh productive biomass up to 10.11 ton fed^−1year^−1. The value of crude protein varied between 11.03 to 11.45 %. It also contains cellulose andhemicelluloses varied between 21.65 to 28.64% , these cellulosic biomass can use for ethanol production. Successive cuttings of these halophytic plants improve soil quality. Leptochloa fusca followed with Sparina patents were more effective for soil bioreclaimation. In conclusion we can call these halophytic plants (Environmentally Smart Crops) because it did not compete with conventional food crops resources (arable land valid food crops production, fresh water) and produce new crops valid to be used as forage or fuel in salt affected habitats.

کلیدواژه ها:

Halophytic plants ، saline habitats ، forage production ، biofuel ، soil bioremediation