Salt-affected Areas Research Articles

Analyses and assessment of soil salinity modeling: review of papers from Scopus database

Soil is part and parcel of operating essential functions of ecosystems. Its degradation including salinization may affect negatively both agriculture and human life. Soil salinization is a form of environmental destruction resulting in loss of soil quality, especially in dry and semi-arid zones including both primary and secondary salinization. Today, salt-affected areas cover 7% of the Earth’s surface with hotspots in the United States, Argentina, Pakistan, China, Sudan, and many states in Central and Western Asia existing in a minimum of 100 countries. Timely and effective management is required to preserve soil fertility for the next generation. Currently, modeling is an effective approach to identify, evaluate and predict soil salinization distribution. Modeling with remote sensing techniques is widely used to identify salt-affected soil, map saline locations, and estimate salinity levels. Today, a lot of geostatistical techniques are applied to predict soil salinity over time including Ordinary Kriging, Co-kriging and Indicator Kriging. The current study originated as a review with the purpose of exploring the scientific background of soil salinity modeling throughout the world. Our research, which includes 177 Scopus-indexed final published articles in English, focuses at publishing trends, types, top publishers, notable authors, affiliated institutions, geographical and thematic emphasis areas, co-authorship and keyword occurrences. Additionally, this paper provides a review of the most popular models and conditioning factors. Among various models, multiple linear regression was used as the most prevalent model type for soil salinity estimation in 10.1% of the publications, and electrical conductivity is considered as the most value conditioning factor in 19.2% of analyzed papers. Finally, it is concluded that recent technological developments in remote sensing are significant factors in increasing research interest in soil salinity modeling.

Impact of Salt and Alkali Stress on Forage Biomass Yield, Nutritive Value, and Animal Growth Performance: A Comprehensive Review

This review investigates the impact of saline and alkaline soils on forage biomass yield, nutritive value, and their subsequent effects on animal growth performance, which are critical for sustainable livestock production. Soil salinity and alkalinity, driven by environmental factors and human activities, significantly affect forage yield and quality, with notable consequences for ruminant nutrition. While some forage species exhibit enhanced crude protein (CP) content and improved leaf-to-stem ratios under salt stress, others suffer from reduced growth and biomass yield. Saline-affected forages are often characterized by lower acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) levels, enhancing their digestibility and making them a potentially valuable feed resource. However, high salinity levels pose significant challenges to consistent forage production in arid and semi-arid regions. Cultivating salt-tolerant forage species has emerged as a promising solution, offering a sustainable approach to addressing the dual challenges of soil salinity and livestock feed shortages. This review emphasizes the need for further research on salinity tolerance mechanisms and the development of resilient forage varieties. By integrating salt-tolerant forages and adopting effective management practices, livestock producers can ensure a reliable and high-quality feed supply while enhancing the growth performance of ruminant animals in salt-affected areas.

Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction for grain yield of rice (Oryza sativa) genotypes for general and specific adaptation to salt stress locations

Context Salt stress is one of the major, ever-increasing abiotic stresses that hinders rice production across arable land around the world. In order to sustain the production of rice (Oryza sativa) in these salt-affected areas, high-yielding stable salt tolerant genotypes must be identified. Aims The additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model was carried out to identify high-yielding stable rice genotypes under both saline and alkali stress. Methods Nineteen promising rice genotypes including five standard checks were evaluated using randomized block design under nine salt stress environments using three replications in 2017 and 2018. Key results The AMMI model II is thought to be the best model for genotype identification based on prediction accuracy with high GEIS and low GEIN (genotype and environment interaction noise). According to AMMI model II, six genotypes were identified as the top performers under salt stress: one genotype (CSR RIL-01-IR 165) yielded the best in three environments; another genotype (CSR 2711-17) yielded highly in in two environments; and the remaining three genotypes (RP5989-2-4-8-15-139-62-6-9, RP 6188-GSR IR1-8-S6-S3-S1, RP6189-HHZ17-Y16-Y3-SAL1) as well as one control genotype (CHK2) yielded well in single environments. Conclusions Based on AMMI stability study, genotypes RP5989-2-4-8-15-139-62-6-9, CSR2711-17, CSR RIL-01-IR 165, CSR-2748-4441-195, CSR-2748-4441-193), and CSRRIL-01-IR 75 were determined to be higher yielding and more stable than the national control genotype (CSR23). Implications The high-yielding stable genotypes identified in this study could be planted for salt-affected areas to sustain the production of rice.

A Sustainable Methodological Approach for mitigation of Salt Stress of Rice Seedlings in Coastal Regions: Identification of Halotolerant Rhizobacteria from Noakhali, Bangladesh and their impact

Salinity hinders the growth of many crops common in the diet, such as rice, wheat and maize when cultivated in coastal salinity areas. Given the limited availability of cultivable land and the increasing growth of the population, it is necessary to enhance productivity. In this paper, we present an innovative approach to adopting Halotolerant Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (HPGPR) to enhance salt-tolerant rice varieties to solve salinity stress and enhance crop production. HPGPR has functions to overcome plant growth and development and is the most efficient bioinoculant for rice in saline environments. This approach can be considered a potential method because of the cost-effective and environmentally friendly impacts in agricultural production, which involves salt-affected areas.

Multi-Scenario Simulation of Optimal Landscape Pattern Configuration in Saline Soil Areas of Western Jilin Province, China

The Songnen Plain is a significant region in China, known for its high grain production and concentrated distribution of soda saline land. It is also considered a priority area for cropland development in the country. However, the Songnen Plain is now facing prominent issues such as soil salinization, soil erosion, and deteriorating cropland quality, which are exacerbated by climate change and intensified human activities. In order to address these challenges, it is crucial to adjust the quantitative structure and layout of different landscapes in a harmonious manner, aiming to achieve synergistic optimization, which is posed as the key scientific approach to guide comprehensive renovation policies, improve saline–alkaline land conditions, and promote sustainable agricultural development. In this study, four scenarios including natural development, priority food production (PFP), ecological security priority (ESP), and economic–ecological-balanced saline soil improvement were set up based on Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) and the Future Land Use Simulation (FLUS) model. The results demonstrated that the SSI scenario, which focused on economic–ecological equilibrium, displayed the most rational quantitative structure and spatial layout of landscape types, with total benefits surpassing those of the other scenarios. Notably, this scenario involved converting unused land into saline cropland and transforming saline cropland into normal cropland, thereby increasing the amount of high-quality cropland and potential cropland while enhancing the habitat quality of the region. Consequently, the conflict between food production and ecological environmental protection was effectively mitigated. Furthermore, the SSI scenario facilitated the establishment of a robust ecological security and protection barrier, offering valuable insights for land use planning and ecological security pattern construction in the Songnen Plain, particularly in salt-affected areas.

Salinity Studies in Quinoa (Quinoa Chenipodoum Willd) from Haditha Desert, Western of Iraq

The present studies were conducted to determine the effect of various concentrations of NaCl salinity on germination and growth of four genotypes of Quinoa Chenopodium Willd, namely G1 (KVL-SR2), G2 (Q-21), G3 (Q-37), and G4 (Regalona), exposed to 0, 60, 120, and 300 mM NaCl. The study was conducted at the Center of Desert Research, Egypt, and the experiment was carried out in the Plant Physiology Laboratory of the Center of Desert Studies. Seeds were treated with four different levels of NaCl concentration: 0, 60, 120, and 300 mM. The experiment followed a Completely Randomized Design with three replications. The germination experiment aimed to determine the effect of NaCl salinity on seed germination percentage. Seeds were placed in autoclaved petri dishes lined with two layers of filter paper, with fifty seeds per dish. Seeds were treated with 0, 60, 120, and 300 mM NaCl solutions (5 mL). The petri dishes were kept in the laboratory at temperatures ranging from 25°C to 28°C for four weeks. Water loss from the petri dishes due to evaporation was monitored using control petri dishes, and water was added every 24 hours as needed. A pot experiment was conducted using plastic pots containing 1700 grams of fine-sieved soil. Seeds of the aforementioned genotypes were sown in 500 grams of soil, separated from the rest of the pot's soil by a polythene sheet. Plants were watered on alternate days and subjected to salinity treatment 25 days after sowing. Fifty milliliters of nutrient solution (N ratio of 6:4) were also added to the salt solution per pot. The salt solution was applied to the 1200 grams of soil in the pot, and after complete absorption, the polythene sheet separating the soil containing plantlets was removed, allowing the roots of the seedlings to grow into the saline soil in the lower half of the pot. Thinning was done after one week, maintaining five plants per pot. The plants were harvested one month after the salinity treatment. It was observed that the germination percentage decreased as the salinity level increased. G1 was tolerant, while G4 was salt-sensitive compared to the other genotypes. Plant height, number of leaves, and number of nodes per plant decreased with increasing salt concentration. G3 was least affected, followed by G2, G1, and G4. Fresh weight, dry weight, and percentage water content of the plants also significantly decreased with increased salinity. The distribution of Na+ ions in various plant parts showed a high concentration in the roots, stem, leaf blade, and leaf sheath of all genotypes. The highest concentration of Na+ ions was found in the leaf sheath of all genotypes, followed by the stem, root, and leaf blade, with high water content even under the highest salt levels. An effective partition of Na+ and Cl- ions in the leaf sheath and the transport of K+ to the physiologically important leaf blade were observed in G1, while other genotypes did not exhibit this efficiency. The specific ion effect of NaCl on the total N status of plants was most pronounced in G1, followed by G2 and G3, while G4 maintained optimal N levels in the root and leaf blade. The tolerant genotype G1 could be utilized for rehabilitation in salt-affected areas.

Cutting propagation of Salicornia europaea L. and the optimum NaCl and nutrient solution levels for its rooting and growth

ABSTRACT Salicornia europaea is a salty and crunchy succulent vegetable, traditionally known as precious gourmet food in Europe and Hawaii. Additionally, this plant is expected to be one of the most essential candidates for future crops under climate change because of its high salt tolerance and abundance of bioactive compounds. S. europaea is generally cultivated by seed propagation, which is challenging because of the heterogeneity in seed size, viability and dormancy. However, our results show that the cutting method is suitable for propagating this plant. We explored various nutrient conditions and proposed that the optimal culture medium conditions for promoting root and biomass development consists of 1.5% NaCl and a nutrient solution with 260 ppm N, 120 ppm P2O5 and 405 ppm K2O. Our findings suggest that the cutting method can facilitate S. europaea propagation, owing to its high degree of efficiency, homogeneity and simplicity, providing the potential to produce food even in salt-affected areas effectively.

Aspects of Movement Ecology and Habitat Use of Migratory Raptors Using Satellite Telemetry from India to Central Asia

Single individuals of the Greater Spotted Eagle (Clanga clanga), Indian Spotted Eagle (Clanga hastata), Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax), Western Marsh Harrier (Circus aeruginosus), and two Pallid Harriers (Circus macrourus) were deployed with satellite transmitters in 2021 to study their home ranges, habitat associations, movement, and migration patterns. Data were collected for a combined number of 2291 days, providing 84,544 locations. Home ranges were calculated as kernel utilization distributions and expressed as 95% KDE and core areas as 50% KDE. Overall, eagles had larger home ranges (mean ± SD) of 942.70 ± 937.83 km2 compared to harriers, 43.84 ± 35.55 km2. Among eagles, the Greater Spotted Eagle had the largest home-range size of 2147.03 km2 calculated in Kazakhstan, while the female Pallid Harrier had the smallest home range of 5.74 km2 in Russia. Daily and monthly distances varied among eagles and harriers. The female Pallid Harrier covered the longest average monthly distance of 8585.43 ± 11,943.39 km, while the shortest monthly distance of 1338.22 ± 716.38 km was traveled by the Indian Spotted Eagle. All tagged birds migrated toward higher latitudes in the Northern hemisphere, except the Indian Spotted Eagle, which migrated to Pakistan. The male Western Marsh Harrier covered the longest migration distance in a shorter span of time, while the female Pallid Harrier took the longest to cover its migration distance. Overall, the daily distance covered during migration varied from 115.09 km traveled by the Indian Spotted Eagle to an overwhelming distance of 2035.85 km covered by the male Western Marsh Harrier. Scrubs, water bodies, croplands, and settlements were important habitat features associated with eagles, while croplands, open scrub, and built-up areas were associated with the female Pallid Harrier. The male Western Marsh Harrier was found to be primarily associated with saltpans and salt-affected areas having emergent vegetation. This study presents new insights into the movement and spatial ecology of long-distance migrant raptors that winter in Western India. We provide preliminary support for the use of the Western Circum–Himalayan Corridor as one of the important corridors of the Central Asian Flyway that warrants much appreciation among the current set of flyway corridors.

Strategies for combating plant salinity stress: the potential of plant growth-promoting microorganisms.

Global climate change and the decreasing availability of high-quality water lead to an increase in the salinization of agricultural lands. This rising salinity represents a significant abiotic stressor that detrimentally influences plant physiology and gene expression. Consequently, critical processes such as seed germination, growth, development, and yield are adversely affected. Salinity severely impacts crop yields, given that many crop plants are sensitive to salt stress. Plant growth-promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) in the rhizosphere or the rhizoplane of plants are considered the "second genome" of plants as they contribute significantly to improving the plant growth and fitness of plants under normal conditions and when plants are under stress such as salinity. PGPMs are crucial in assisting plants to navigate the harsh conditions imposed by salt stress. By enhancing water and nutrient absorption, which is often hampered by high salinity, these microorganisms significantly improve plant resilience. They bolster the plant's defenses by increasing the production of osmoprotectants and antioxidants, mitigating salt-induced damage. Furthermore, PGPMs supply growth-promoting hormones like auxins and gibberellins and reduce levels of the stress hormone ethylene, fostering healthier plant growth. Importantly, they activate genes responsible for maintaining ion balance, a vital aspect of plant survival in saline environments. This review underscores the multifaceted roles of PGPMs in supporting plant life under salt stress, highlighting their value for agriculture in salt-affected areas and their potential impact on global food security.

SOIL MICRONUTRIENT CONTENT ANALYSIS AND MAPPING OF AGRICULTURAL SALT-AFFECTED SOILS AROUND ABAYA AND CHAMO LAKES, SOUTH ETHIOPIA RIFT VALLEY

<p><strong><span lang="EN-US">Background.</span></strong><span lang="EN-US"> Salt-affected soils cause a significant portion of land to become unproductive yearly; its impact is severe in sub-Saharan African nations, especially the arid and semiarid lowlands, and the Rift Valley regions of Ethiopia are typically host to naturally salt-affected areas. <strong>Objective.</strong> To analyze the micronutrient content and map the micronutrient fertility status of agricultural salt-affected soils around Abaya and Chamo Lakes South Ethiopia Rift Valley. <strong>Methodology.</strong> A systematic sampling technique was employed to obtain 300 soil samples for the investigation from two depths (0-20 and 20-40cm), with a 600m sampling interval, of which 30 were used. The research data was analyzed using the application of standardized analytical procedures for soil data and descriptive and geostatistical techniques. <strong>Results.</strong> According to the study, there is low zinc available in the soil but an ample amount of iron, manganese, and copper. In addition, the study's findings revealed that, whereas the remaining micronutrient regional variability is found at long distances, available iron exhibited a regional variation in soil quality at small distances. <strong>Implications.</strong> The study suggests applying organic matter for better soil structure, water retention, and nutrient availability.</span><span lang="EN-US">Moreover, the results recommend that soils affected by salt might recover using various materials. <strong>Conclusions.</strong> In the study areas, zinc fertilizer may still be needed for an optimal yield even though the research area has low amounts of zinc fertilizer. The study concluded with management recommendations to minimize the adverse effects of very high micronutrient content on human health and plant growth.</span></p>

The use of Pisolithus albus found in saline areas to improve the growth of Eucalyptus seedlings under high salinity conditions

ABSTRACT Salinity is an abiotic factor limiting plant fitness and therefore forest crop productivity, and salt-affected areas have been expanding throughout the world. Ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi can improve the salt tolerance of woody plants, including Eucalyptus species To screen for salt-resistant Pisolithus albus (PA) isolates, 16 PA isolates were cultivated on modified Melin-Norkrans agar containing NaCl at concentrations of 0, 10, 20, and 30 dS m−1. The P. albus isolate PA33 had the greatest salt resistance under 10 and 20 dS m−1 NaCl, which are soil salinity levels in salt-affected areas of Thailand. We studied the effect of PA33 on Eucalyptus camaldulensis × E. pellita cuttings under salt stress (0 and 16 dS m−1) for 1 month. PA enhanced the growth of the Eucalyptus seedlings, as indicated by higher relative growth rates in height and root collar diameter of inoculated seedlings compared with non-inoculated seedlings. Moreover, the inoculated seedlings had less cell damage from NaCl, as indicated by significantly lesser leaf thickness and electrolyte leakage than the controls. These findings could lead to practices conferring socioeconomic and environmental benefits, as abandoned salt-affected areas could be reclaimed using such Eucalyptus seedlings inoculated with salt-tolerant ECM fungi.

Spatial analysis and mapping of intensity and types of agricultural salt-affected soils around Abaya and Chamo Lakes, South Ethiopia Rift Valley

PurposeSalt-affected soils have significant enough salt concentrations to impact other land and soil resource uses, plant health, soil characteristics, and water quality. Consequently, a study was carried out in the South Ethiopian Rift Valley area around the lakes of Abaya and Chamo to determine the intensity and the types of salt-affected soil and map their spatial distributions. MethodsAt 0–20 cm depths, a grid soil sampling scheme was employed to gather data from agricultural soils affected by salt. An adequately spaced grid cell of 200 m*200 m or seven transects, with seven samples collected every 200 m on each sampling site, was generated by the QGIS software's Fishnet tool, and an auger collected 226 soil samples from the proposed 245 soil sampling points. The analysis and interpretation of the data were done using both statistical and geostatistical methods. The un-sampled surface was predicted and mapped from laboratory point data using the standard Kriging algorithm in QGIS. ResultsAccording to the results, the soil in the study area was rated as strongly alkaline and moderately alkaline in the reaction. The coefficient of variation (CV) was the lowest for soil pH. Except for the Ganta Kanchama site, low CV (<10 %) confirmed the similarity of pH values throughout all research areas. The EC values depicted that the study area is slightly saline except for the Ganta Kanchame site, which rated moderately saline to strongly saline. The variability of soil EC rated moderate to strong variation for the studied area. The exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) values distribution between the study sites demonstrates considerable variability and difference. The area is dominated by low to high-risk rate soil sodicity, as evidenced by the soil ESP CV of the studied area, which was >100 % and showed significant variability among the samples. Out of 2274.65ha of the studied area, the type of salt 62.28 %, 26.09 %, 10.99 %, and 0.63 % were categorized as non-saline non-sodic, saline-sodic, sodic, and saline, respectively. Following saline-sodic, sodic, and saline soils, respectively, non-saline and non-sodic soils comprise most of the investigated areas. ConclusionsThe result indicates almost all the salt-affected areas were situated in relatively lower slope areas exhibiting a flat to almost flat slope (0–2%). The study's findings are that the studied area needs specific soil management strategies to boost the salinity and sodicity problems around the study area and recommended reclamation techniques as the extent of the problems.

Exploring tolerance mechanisms and root morphological development of New Zealand spinach and quinoa across salinity levels

Soil salinity, root sodium concentration, and transpiration rate are important environmental factors impacting plant growth and productivity. This study investigates the salt-coping strategies of two plant species under varying salinity levels: New Zealand spinach species grown at three salinity levels (i.e., 0, 100, and 200 mM NaCl) and three varieties of quinoa, i.e., “Vikinga”, “Dave 407” and “Red Head”, grown with or without salt (i.e., 0 and 100 mM NaCl). The plants were grown on glass fiber sheets (rhizoslides) under controlled laboratory conditions. The relationship between transpiration rate, salinity, and root architecture was analyzed for each species. The root apparatus of New Zealand spinach was significantly more developed in plants grown at 100 mM NaCl compared to both 200 mM NaCl and control. The quinoa varieties responded differently to the increasing salt concentrations, with salt-treated “Red Head” plants significantly reducing their total root length and salt-treated “Vikinga” significantly reducing its lateral roots compared to the controls. Salt concentration near New Zealand spinach roots was lower compared to areas without roots, suggesting active salt uptake. In contrast, quinoa rhizoslides exhibited higher salt concentration in proximity to the roots, indicative of salt exclusion. The study provides insights into the adaptation and tolerance mechanisms of these two species to salinity, elucidating the mechanisms by which plants regulate their sodium uptake and root growth. The obtained results suggest that not only the selection of appropriate plant species (halophytes), but also varieties, plays a crucial role in improving crop productivity in salt-affected areas. Elucidating the salt-coping mechanisms of halophytes in relation to soil and climatic conditions is important to better predict their behavior in various saline environments.

Effects of Salicylic Acid Seed Priming on Germination of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) Exposed to Salt Stress

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is an essential crop globally, particularly in Türkiye, West Asia, Southern Europe, India, and Africa. Lentil is a valuable food source, rich in proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins. However, lentil production faces challenges due to salinity stress, which hampers water uptake and causes toxic effects on plants. The study aimed to investigate the effects of salicylic acid (SA) seed priming and varying salt (NaCl) concentrations on the germination and development of lentil seeds. The research was conducted in the Field Crops Biotechnology Laboratory, University of Dicle, Faculty of Agriculture, Türkiye. In the research, control, two salt (NaCl), four salicylic acid (SA) doses and their combinations were used on Lens culinaris variety called İlke. Germination percentage, energy, rate index, mean germination time, peak value, and vigor index were calculated. The results demonstrated that SA had a significant impact on improving lentil germination under salt stress conditions. Specifically, lower concentrations of NaCl combined with SA showed positive effects on germination and growth parameters compared to higher NaCl concentrations. The highest germination percentage, energy, and rate index values were in the control and 0.25 SA dose treatment. Salicylic acid doses under 50 NaCl concentration exhibited higher germination percentage, energy, and rate index values than under 100 NaCl. Increasing SA and salt doses negatively affected lentil seed germination. This finding is significant for lentil cultivation in salt-affected areas, offering a potential strategy to improve crop resilience and yield in challenging environmental conditions.

Molecular Identification and Characterization of Indigenous Rhizobacteria from Haryana and Punjab and Their Inoculation Effect on Prosopis cineraria

India grapples with escalating soil salinity, projected to afflict 16.2 million hectares by 2050. Reforestation, vital in North India's sodic wastelands, counters severe degradation. Rhizobacteria that promote plant growth (PGPR) are essential for managing forests sustainably. These microbes help rhizosphere plants form symbiotic relationships that promote hormone production, nitrogen fixation, increased phosphate availability, iron sequestration, and defense against outside threats. The study aimed to isolate halo-tolerant microbial strains from salt-affected areas and studied their effect on tree species to alleviate their overall growth in Punjab and Haryana. We isolated 880 bacterial isolates from salt-affected areas in Punjab and Haryana; they have a variety of metabolic capabilities and are resistant to both salty and alkaline environments. Pot studies with a range of tree species verify the beneficial effects of particular bacterial strains, such as Pseudomonas mosselli and Klebsiella aerogenes, on soil &amp;plant development metrics. Validation of these results by 16S rRNA gene sequencing highlights the potential of these isolates for soil remediation in salt-affected areas. The study highlighted the importance of microbial interventions in alleviating soil deterioration and fostering sustainable land use practices, and it suggests more field studies with different varieties of trees.

Genetic variation in growth, ionic accumulation and salt tolerance indices under long-term salt stress in halophytic Tunisian sea barley (Hordeum marinum ssp. marinum)

Context Identification of salt-tolerant genetic resources is of high importance due to the constant increase in salt-affected areas. Aims This study was conducted to assess genetic variation in salt response among and within Tunisian sea barley populations and to identify useful genotypes for future breeding programmes directed towards improving salinity tolerance. Methods The salinity response of 141 lines from 10 natural populations of Hordeum marinum ssp. marinum was characterised at a morphophysiological level, following exposure to 200 mM sodium chloride for 90 days. Key results ANOVA revealed significant differences in growth and ion accumulation between and within populations in response to salinity. The Sebkhet Ferjouna population was less affected than Sidi Othman and Tabarka; however, it accumulated relatively higher sodium and lower potassium and potassium/sodium ratio. Stress Tolerance Index (STI) and Salt Tolerance (ST) values varied significantly among populations and lines. STI was positively correlated with potassium and negatively correlated with sodium content in roots and leaves, whereas no evidence of a relationship between both cations and ST was observed. Conclusions SO7, SO28, LB5, LB25, TB1, MT3 and BK12 with high values of STI were identified as high yielding lines in control and salt stress conditions, whereas MT3, BK12, MT17, BF10, SL8, SL16 and SF32, with the highest values of ST, were characterised by a small yield loss and low sensitivity when exposed to salinity. Implications These lines constitute a genetic resource with desirable adaptation characteristics for breeding programmes towards salinity tolerance in cultivated cereals.

Phylogenetic Analysis of Bacterial Isolates Recovered from Salt-affected Soils of Haryana &amp; Punjab, India

Excessive saline/alkaline conditions present a significant challenge to the environment and ecology, impacting yield, plant growth, and soil health. This study focuses on isolating and characterizing halophilic bacteria from salt-affected areas in Haryana and Punjab, India. Morphological, biochemical, and molecular analyses were conducted to assess their potential as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) for mitigating salt stress in salt-affected soils. Four bacterial strains, identified as HR3-PM, PB01-KB, PB-424, and PB-466, were isolated and characterized. Morphological and biochemical assays revealed diverse traits among the isolates, including phosphate solubilization, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, and ammonia excretion. Molecular identification via 16S rRNA sequencing confirmed their taxonomic classification and revealed close homology to known bacterial species such as Klebsiella aerogenes, Pseudomonas mosselii, Lysinibacillus acetophenoni, and Pseudomonas stutzeri. Phylogenetic analysis provided insights into their evolutionary relationships. These salt-tolerant bacteria exhibit promising PGPR activities, suggesting their potential for sustainable agriculture and soil remediation practices in salt-affected soils. Harnessing their abilities could offer cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions to mitigate soil salinity, enhance plant productivity, and contribute to global environmental stresses. Further research is warranted to fully understand and harness the biotechnological potential of these halophilic bacteria in salt-affected ecosystems, paving the way for a more sustainable environmental future.

Evaluation on salinity level and Electrical Conductivity of salt-affected areas in ground level through Remote Sensing Techniques

This study aims to develop evaluation methods on salinity level and Electrical Conductivity (EC) of salt-affected areas at ground level through Remote Sensing Techniques. The research methodology was divided into 1) analyzing data obtained from Landsat-8 satellite along with 3 formats of spectral indices, i.e., Salinity Index (SI), Brightness Index (BI), and Normalized Difference Salinity Index (NDSI); 2) conducting field survey to measure Electrical Conductivity (EC) of salt-affected areas in ground level; and 3) conducting linear regression analysis with analyzed data obtained from Landsat-8 satellite and electrical conductivity of salt-affected areas in ground level. The results revealed that SI had a relationship with EC of saline soil at ground level at the highest level with a Confidence Interval of over 70% (R2 = 0.758) and correlation coefficient over 80% (R= 0.870). From such a linear relationship, a map of the distribution of saline soil in the research area could be created. From the total research areas of 73.40 km2, distribution of salt-affected areas in ground level could be divided into 5 levels (calculated to be % per area), i.e., highest level (&gt;16 ds/m), high level (8-16 dS/m), moderate level (4-8 dS/m), low level (2-4 dS/m), and none (area with no effect from saline soil in ground level) (0-2 dS/m) with value of 0.01%, 0.01%, 40%, 59.71%, and 0.01%, respectively.

Performance of Wheat variety KRL-283 in Salt affected Soils with Saline Water in Nagaur District of Rajasthan

The problem of salty soils as well as saline water is serious concern point in rainfed and irrigated both conditions. The study was conducted in village Bhagwanpura of Nawan block in Nagaur district during rabi 2020-21 to 2021-22, with the objective to study the salt tolerant wheat variety for this region. Interviews were conducted with 20 farmers, both individually and in groups, who were chosen at random from Bhagwanpura village. Results from on farm trial showed that the salt tolerant variety KRL-283 recorded higher grain (35.8 q ha-1) and straw yield (49.2 q ha-1) as compared to the farmers’ practiced variety C-306 (33.0 q ha-1 and 47.5 q ha-1). Among the yield attributing characters assessed, the number of spike /plant (5.6); number of spikelets/spike (16.7), number of grains per spike (50.0) and 1000 grain weight (47.7 g) contributed more to the yield and are considered to be the most important factors responsible for yield gap difference. The net returns (Rs 90580 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (3.54) was also maximum under technology, while these values were Rs 85524 ha-1 and 3.40, respectively under farmer’s practices. The value for additional returns in technology (Rs 5056 ha-1) was also high in KRL-283 variety. Use of this type of varieties would enhance productivity and having positive impact on food security in salt-affected areas.

Effect of NaCl on physiological, biochemical, and ionic parameters of naked oat (Avena nuda L.) line Bayou1

Oat (Avena nuda L.) is a globally important cereal crop grown for its nutritious grains and is considered as moderately salt-tolerant. Studying salinity tolerant mechanisms of oats could assist breeders in increasing oat production and their economic income in salt-affected areas, as the total amount of saline land in the world is still increasing. The present study was carried out to better understand the salt tolerance mechanism of the naked oat line Bayou1. A soil experiment was conducted on 17 days-old Bayou1 seedlings treated with varying concentrations of NaCl for a period of 12 days. Bayou1 plants grew optimally when treated with 50 mM NaCl, demonstrating their salinity tolerance. Reduced water uptake, decreased Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, and guaiacol peroxidase activity, as well as increased Na+ concentration in leaves, all contributed to a reduction in shoot growth. However, the damage to ionic homeostasis caused by increased Na+ concentrations and decreased K+ concentrations in the roots of Bayou1 did not inhibit its root growth, indicating that the main salt-tolerant mechanism in Bayou1 existed in its roots. Further, a hydroponic experiment found that increasing Na+ concentration in root cell sap enhanced root growth, while maintaining the integrity of root cell membranes. The accumulated Na+ may have facilitated the root growth of Bayou1 exposed to NaCl by effectively adjusting cellular osmotic potential, thereby ensuring root cell turgor and expansion.