Studies on Mound Practices for Establishment and Growth of Various Plant Species on Saline and Waterlogged Soil in Hot Arid Zone of India

Abstract

Studies were conducted on saline- alkali soil in Jodhpur District of Rajasthan State with different exotic and indigenous plant species using different types of mound techniques i.e. Double ridge mound (DRM)&Circular dished mound (CDM). Gypsum was applied @ 100% soilGR along with FYM (3Kg) and SSP (15 g) at the time of planting. Sueda nudiflora was found to be the best species on the basis of survival and growth in all the three treatments followed by Atriplex lentiformis and Atriplex stocksii. Both mound practices, CDM and DRM, recorded significantly higher survival and growth as compared to control during 36 months of establishment. There was no difference in height of all the three species between CDM and DRM structures, however, for crown diameter CDM structure gave higher value as compared to DRM structure. Among tree species Acacia colei has shown potential by maintaining 89% survival on DRM in a drought year.