ECOLOGY OF HALOPHYTES

By X. LURAL

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION OVERVIEW FOOD INTRODUCTION, GRAINS AND OILSEEDS, TUBERS AND FOLIAGE, LEAF PROTEIN, FRUITS, TRADITIONAL CROPS, REFERENCES AND SELECTED READINGS, RESEARCH CONTACTS, FUEL FUELWOOD TREES AND SHRUBS, LIQUID FUELS, GASEOUS FUELS, FODDER GRASSES, SHRUBS, TREES, FIBER AND OTHER PRODUCTS ESSENTIAL OILS, GUMS, OILS, AND RESINS, PULP AND FIBER, BIOACTIVE DERIVATIVES, LANDSCAPE AND ORNAMENTAL USE, INTRODUCTION THE AGRICULTURAL USE OF SALINE WATER OR SOILS CAN BENEFIT MANY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES SALT-TOLERANT PLANTS CAN UTILIZE LAND AND WATER UNSUITABLE FOR SALT- SENSITIVE CROPS (GLYCOPHYTES) FOR THE ECONOMIC PRODUCTION OF FOOD, FODDER, FUEL, AND OTHER PRODUCTS HALOPHYTES (PLANTS THAT GROW IN SOILS OR WATERS CONTAINING SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF INORGANIC SALTS) CAN HARNESS SALINE RESOURCES THAT ARE GENERALLY NEGLECTED AND ARE USUALLY CONSIDERED IMPEDIMENTS RATHER THAN OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT SALTS OCCUR NATURALLY IN ALL SOILS RAIN DISSOLVES THESE SALTS, WHICH ARE THEN SWEPT THROUGH STREAMS AND RIVERS TO THE SEA WHERE RAINFALL IS SPARSE OR THERE IS NO QUICK ROUTE TO THE SEA, SOME OF THIS WATER EVAPORATES AND THE DISSOLVED SALTS BECOME MORE CONCENTRATED IN ARID AREAS, THIS CAN RESULT IN THE FORMATION OF SALT LAKES OR IN BRACKISH GROUNDWATER, SALINIZED SOIL, OR SALT DEPOSITS THERE ARE THREE POSSIBLE DOMAINS FOR THE USE OF SALT-TOLERANT PLANTS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES THESE ARE: 1 FARMLANDS SALINIZED BY POOR IRRIGATION PRACTICES; 2 ARID AREAS THAT OVERLIE RESERVOIRS OF BRACKISH WATER; AND 3 COASTAL DESERTS IN SOME DEVELOPING REGIONS, THERE ARE MILLIONS OF HECTARES OF SALINIZED FARMLAND RESULTING FROM POOR IRRIGATION PRACTICES THESE LANDS WOULD REQUIRE LARGE (AND GENERALLY UNAVAILABLE) AMOUNTS OF