We are pleased to announce an upcoming presentation titled "Non-traditional Crops for Salt-Affected Soils: Productivity and Economic Benefits," delivered by Professor Mohammad Ashraf from the Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Lahore, Pakistan
Abstract
Abiotic stresses have been exacerbated during the past decades particularly in arid and semiarid regions, mainly due to the adverse impact of climate change. Soil salinity is one of those abiotic stresses that has affected over 100 million ha across 100 countries worldwide, and according to a projection about 1.5 million ha are becoming non-productive due to salinity every year. Farmers in most parts of the world rely on major cereal crops such as wheat, rice, and maize for achieving maximum economic gains as well as fulfilling the demands of food security. However, all these crops experience reduced growth on salt affected lands, resulting in a considerably low productivity. Alternatively, non-traditional or alternative crops can be potential candidates for growing on salt affected soils. Non-traditional crops are of multifarious nature in terms of their exploitation and specific adaptation to their particular ecological habitats. For example, some are potential cereals while others are oilseeds, forages, fruits, vegetables, etc. Non-traditional salt tolerant food crops which are region-specific can be grown successfully on salt affected lands. For example, barley, quinoa, minor cereals, eel grass (Zostera marina), and Nipa grass (Distichlis palmeri) can grow vigorously on saline soils outyielding the traditional crops. A plethora of literature can be observed wherein researchers have uncovered, though partially, the mechanisms of their salt tolerance. In fact, different non-traditional crops have specific mechanism of salt tolerance. It is not surprising to note that some non-traditional halotolerant plants can absorb a significant amount of salts from saline soils, rendering them fit for the cultivation of normal non-salt tolerant crops. Thus, in the presentation, the prospects of exploitation of some potential non-traditional crops for economically utilizing salt affected soils, are discussed.
