A Preliminary Study to Tailor Planting Stock Suitable to Sodic Soils

Abstract

Seedlings of Acacia farnesiana, Acacia nilotica ssp. Cupressiformis and Prosopisjuliflora were raised in five types of growth mediums viz sand, sodic soil, sodic soil + sand, sodic soil + sand + pyrite, sodic soil + sand + peat-moss to overcome the problem of scanty root formation while planting them into the field or container in sodic soil. Results showed that the mixture of sodic soil + sand + peatmoss produced seedlings with a brush type root phenology compared to those grown in sodic soil. Such seedlings produced were not only taller but had a decreased root: shoot ratio also, thus better in quality.