Exploitation and improvement of saline soils through the establishment of forage grasses

Abstract

Soil salinity is one of the factors that limit agricultural production in vast land areas. Worldwide, some 897 million hectares show a certain degree of salinity. In Mexico, 10 % of the irrigated area is considered as affected by salinity and approximately two thirds of this is to be found in the northern part of the country. With the purpose of offering an viable alternative for improving saline soils and their vegetable cover, in the present study the effect of planting ryegrass, Sudangrass and bermuda grass, that can excrete salt and also posses physiological tolerance, was evaluated. Besides, the effect of two pant densities (1 x 106 and 2 x 106 pl ha-1) on soil total soluble salts equilibrium, cations and anions and cations in plants were also assessed. Results obtained showed a clear trend of salt content reduction in soils, as seen in a drop in electrical conductivity in saturated soil extract and also in cation and anion concentration. Bermuda grass caused a greater fall in soil salinity and no significant effects were found for plant density in soil and plant salt balance.