USING Sesbania sesban TO IMPROVE SOME SOILS AFFECTED BY SALT IN ANBAR GOVERNORATE-IRAQ

Abstract

Abstract:The present study aims to determine the degree of tolerance of Sesbania grown in salts affected soil which considered one of the major problems that hinder cultivation in arid and semi-arid soils in Iraq. The research has included two studies; the first contains field study for the Sesbania cultivated regions in Saqlawia, Kaldia, Heet and Haditha. This study has shown that Sesbania grown in soils of high salinity ranging from 26.3 dS.m-1 to 36.7 dS.m-1 with good yield of green fodder of 55.3, 83.3, 50.0 and 41.7 gm dry matter/plant and plant height of 160, 190, 130 and 120 cm as a mean for Saqlawia, Khaldia, Heet and Haditha respectively which used as a forage for livestock and also in reclamation of saline soils. The average of salinity for these cultivated soils decreased to 5.42, 5.60, 3.74, and 3.96 dS.m-1 respectively. The second stuy has included carrying out the experiment of plastic pots to study the effect of five salt levels on the growth and some nutrient contents of Sesbania . The salt levels used were 4.50 , 6.63 , 8.60 , 10.46 , and 12.34 dS . m-1. The experiment was carried out according to the complete random design with four replicates in each treatment.