Survival and growth rate of tree saplings planted under salt affected and Hypoxia conditions

An Investigation was carried out to note the survival and growth rate of eucalyptus saplings planted in salt affected and hypoxia areas with plastic container bags totally removed compared to base only removed. The soil used was highly saline sodic in nature with wide variation in electrical conductivity of the saturation extract (ECe), pHs and sodium adsorption rate (SAR) within the field. At Basti Thabal, Pindi Bhattian site half acre of eucalyptus was transplanted with bigger bags, half acre with original smaller bags and three and half kanals of eucalyptus were transplanted at Jalalpur Kangra. Survival rate data was collected fifteen days after transplanting of tree seedlings. While height and girth data was recorded within 15-25 days after transplantation. The results showed that survival rate of eucalyptus was more than 82% at Jalalpur Kangra while survival rate was more in smaller bags than bigger bags at Pindi Bhattian site. The treatment effect remained non- significant. The gain in height was more than 84 cm in case of bigger bags at Pindi Bhattian, more than 73 cm at Jalalpur Kangra and more than 47 cm incase of smaller bags at Pindi Bhattian site. However treatment effect remained nonsignificant at all the sites. The gain in girth was more than 1.20 cm at Jalalpur Kangra, 0.90 cm in case of bigger bags while more than 0.34 cm in case of smaller bags at Pindi Bhattian site. The treatment effect was again non-significant at all the sites. In case of root proliferation tap root length was more at Jalalpur Kangra and Pindi Bhattian (bigger bags) while lateral root length was more in case of smaller bags at Pindi Bhattian site and treatment was observed nonsignificant. There was a slight improvement in ECe pHs and SAR of soil in the plough layer only indicating that salts were leached down only at Jalalpur Kangra. While at Pindi Bhattian site the ECe, pHs and SAR were increased due to the eroded soil by rain that brought salt to this low lying area. The results lead to conclude that eucalyptus plantation in salt affected soils has some ameliorative effects on soil chemical characteristics.