Ameliorating Effect of Casuarina equisetifolia on Saline Soils

Influence of Casuarina equisetifolia (Jhow) in ameliorating salt affected coastal wastelands of Medinipur. West Bengal have been studied. The physicochemical nature of the wastelands had changed considerably after a few years of fhow plantation. Within 7 years of growth pH and EC of soils decreased from 8.3 to 6.9 and from 5.7 to 0.08 dS m⁻¹, respectively. Exchangeable cations and water soluble cations and anions were markedly lowered. Organic carbon and available N increased due to growth of casuarina. Prolonged growth of the species on coastal sands reduced soil salinity, thereby creating soil environments conducive for satisfactory growth of other plants.