Salt tolerance potential of halophytic grasses - Phyto-remediation and Physiological perspectives

The experiment was conducted to explore salt tolerance potential of Urochondra setulosa and Sporobolus marginatus (collected from the extreme saline habitat of Rann of Kutch, Gujarat, India) and Leptochloa fusca (from RRS, CSSRI, Lucknow, India). The phytoremediation potential of these halophytes was quantified in terms of reduction in soil EC and pH. It was observed that mean soil pH values reduced from 9.5 to 9.13 and 10.0 to 9.51 whereas mean ECe values decreased from 30 to 19.7, 40 to 28.9 and 50 to 36.47, respectively at the harvest stage. In addition, the tolerance potential of these grasses towards salinity and sodicity was also explored through gas exchange attributes, K⁺/Na⁺ and biomass production etc. L. fusca and S. marginatus produced higher biomass under sodic condition while in U. setulosa it increased under salinity stress. Under sodic condition, L. fusca showed less reduction and maintained higher K⁺/Na⁺ in their leaf tissues. Based on these various indicators of stress tolerance, the three halophytes could be categorised as salt tolerant or alkaline stress tolerant.