Abstract

                                Paper and pulp mills use a huge quantity of water in the manufacturing process and release a substantial quantity of salts in the effluent. The use of industrial effluents for irrigating crops due to the nutrient content in arid zones is under practice. The long-term use of paper and pulp mill effluent as a source of irrigation accumulates salts in the soil surface and rhizospheric zone. In this study, halophytes, namely Sesuvium portulacastrum, Salicornia brachiata, and Suaeda maritima were evaluated for their phytodesalination potential in paper and pulp mill effluent irrigated soil. Among these Sesuvium portulacastrum recorded the highest dry matter production (8.21 g pot-1), and the sodium accumulation was 6.7% greater than S. brachiata on 120th day. Furthermore, the soil EC was also 7.7 % lower in pots cultivated with S. portulacastrum than pots cultivated with S. brachiata. Hence, Sesuvium portulacastrum could effectively be used to phytodesalinate saline soils and ensure the sustainable cultivation of crops using paper and pulp mill effluent.

Key words : Halophytes; Phytodesalination; Salinity; Effluent irrigation