Performance of medicinal plant species under saline irrigation

Some of medicinal plants of arid and semi-arid areas were evaluated during 1995–97 for their production potential for saline irrigation (ECiw 8.5 dS/m) during the field experiment conducted on a sandy-loam soil at Bir Reserved Forest, Hisar. Amongst the species tested, the most promising was observed to be isabgol (Plantago ovata Forsk.) with average yield of 10.5 q/ha and saline water did not show any adverse impact on its production. Aloe (Aloe barbadensis Mill.) was also equally tolerant, but its average production remained quite low (fresh weight 118 q/ha in 3 years). Kalmeg (Andrographis paniculata Wall. ex Nees) performed moderately, wheareas periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus G. Don) showed poor performance with saline irrigation. Sacred balsam or ocimum (Ocimum sanctum L.) and mint (Mentha piperita L. emend. Huds) showed high susceptibility ot termite attack and their performance was very poor even with canal water irrigation.