Remediation of Saline Soil in Arid Regions Using Salt Absorption Capacity of Tamarix, Halotolerant Plant.

It is important to evaluate the salt absorption of Tamarix Austromongolica N., which grows naturally in arid regions, and its growth in order to utilize its use for the improvement of halomorphic soil. To clarify the relationship between the amount of salt in the soil and the growing conditions of Tamarix for a 2 year period, a greenhouse cultivation experiment was conducted. Soil was placed in 45L containers in four experimental sections consisting of 9 containers each. This soil was saturated for a week with saline water in concentrations of 0% (tap water), 1%, and 4%, and Tamarix cuttings were transplanted into each container. It was observed that the growth of the maximum shoot lengths stopped at the end of the first year in none of the containers, and in 1% of the containers in August of the second year, but continued growing for two years in 4% of the containers. After these experiments, all samples were dug up to determine the dry weight and Na concentration of the leaves, branches, trunks and roots. The sodium absorbed in these samples were maximized in the first year in 1% of the containers, and maximized in 4% of the containers in the second year. Furthermore, leaves and branches were found to have absorbed more than 90% of the sodium in each of containers.