Phytoremediation of Degraded Semi-Arid Soil Using Halophytes: A New Hope for Soil Restoration

1. Pushpika Udawat
   Assistant Professor, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India
2. Navneet Singh Chaudhary
   Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, India
   *Corresponding author: navneetuor@gmail.com

Abstract

A key challenge of 21st century is to match the agricultural productivity with the rising trend of population growth besides decreasing availability of high-quality land and water. This challenge is more pertinent in arid and semi-arid regions exemplified by water scarcity, land degradation due to livestock grazing and poor soil. The arid regions of northern India include desert of Rajasthan, Rann of Kutch and semi-arid regions of Gujarat and Punjab. Livestock rearing is a primary source of livelihood for people living in arid and semi-arid regions of western part of India. The hot arid regions have primary vegetation cover of succulent halophytes and xerophytes along with native perennial grasses. This chapter focuses on the diversity, economic and ecological importance of halophytes in western regions of India and offers an inclusive summary of uses of halophytes. The applications of these halophytes are food, feed and forage, source of bioactive compounds, oilseed and energy. Further, their applications in remediation of arid land and soil have also been discussed in detail. Therefore, halophytes may be an appropriate choice to augment availability of essential crop products together with ecological services.

Keywords: Arid land, degradation, halophytes, reclamation and ecological restoration.