Changing the Sabkha scenario from deserted land to an emerging agriculture farm land-A case study in Qatar

Studies are continued on production of useful biomass production system on highly saline Sabkha lands (EC greater than 100 dS/m) underlain by super brine ground water (EC greater than 110 dS/m) present at 0.80 meter depth at Nuclear Research Station for Bio-saline Agriculture, Dukhan Sabkha Qatar, (165500 North, 409500 East). The soil is light textured and completely exhausted of essential macro/ micro nutrients except sodium chloride and calcium. Using a combination of agronomy, hydrology and soil physics approaches, highly salt-tolerant plants were grown including Acacia ampliceps, Salt Bush (Atriplex lentiformus), Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Prosopis Juliflora, Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), Kallar grass (Leptochloa fusca), Para grass (Brachiaria mutica), Kochia indica, and Sesbania acculeata. Limited surface irrigation with treated sewage water was applied through drip/bubbler irrigation system for plant establishment phase. Salt tolerant material was planted in April-May, 2009 peak dry summer season (peak open air temperature 54.9 degree C, minimum RH=15%, maximum Class-A Pan Evaporation = 22.1 mm/day) while harvesting for biomass sampling was completed on July 13, 2009. The plants survived under all exposed stresses of very high soil salinity, high air temperature and very dry and fast winds. The plants showed wide genetic diversity in biomass production potential, fodder value and ionic retention potential. Pomegranate appeared to contain very effective differential selective membrane system from a mass of high flux of salts present in saline soil and treated sewage water. Hence, its gene pool may be of specific interest of researchers for inducing tolerance against specific biotic and abiotic stresses. The study is still continued as part of collaborated IAEA Technical Cooperation Project (Number QAT 5002) for assessing long term survival of plants and soil rehabilitation.