Bioreclamation effect and growth of a leguminous forage plant (Lotus corniculatus) in calcareous saline-sodic soil

Salt-affected soils are characterized by the occurrence of salt and sodium to levels that can adversely affect several soil properties and growth of most crops. In this study, we reported a pot experiment for studying the potential soil reclamation effects and biomass production of Lotus corniculatus grown under calcareous saline-sodic soil conditions. Seed-derived plants of L. corniculatus were grown in pots filled with three different soils collected from two saline-sodic and one nonsaline area. Study results reveal that L. corniculatus biomass production was almost two times higher under nonsaline soil than saline-sodic soils. Herbage Na+concentration were the highest in all soils. Salty characteristic of the soils led to increase in the concentrations of Na+ and Cl- in plant. L. corniculatus plantation on saline-sodic soils reduced the soil initial ECe values from 5.27 to 2.40 dS m-1 in saline-sodic soil-I and from 8.37 to 2.8 dS m-1 in saline-sodic soil-II. Plant stimulated calcite dissolution and increased soil soluble Ca++. This reduced the initial ESP values of saline-sodic soils from 23 and 26% to 18 and 21%, respectively. At harvest, plant removed approximately 15 and 33 kg salt ha-1 from saline-sodic soils, respectively.   Key words: Soil salinity, saline-sodic soils, Lotus corniculatus, forage plants, soil reclamation, bioreclamation