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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Parlier, California » San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center » Water Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #315338
Title: Evaluation of the halophyte Salsola soda as an alternative crop for saline soils high in selenium and boron

Author
item CENTOFANTI, TIZIANA - University Of California
item Banuelos, Gary

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/30/2015
Publication Date: 5/20/2015
Citation: Centofanti, T., Banuelos, G.S. 2015. Evaluation of the halophyte Salsola soda as an alternative crop for saline soils high in selenium and boron. Journal of Environmental Management. 157:96-102.

Interpretive Summary: Loss of productive land in arid saline soils of central California due to abiotic stresses (i.e., drought and increased salinity) is posing major challenges to sustainability of agriculture, and conservation of agro-ecosystems and environmental quality. Identification and cultivation of alternative drought- and salt-tolerant crops can help maintain crop production under poor quality growing conditions. Salt-tolerant plants (halophytes) may satisfy this requirement and thus making halophytes potential candidates for growing in the West side of the San Joaquin Valley. This greenhouse study evaluates the potential of growing ‘agretti’, a halophyte native to the Mediterranean basin, in boron- and selenium- laden soils as both an alternative food crop and as potential species for the phyto-management of selenium and boron in saline soils. ‘Agretti’ showed its salt and boron tolerance potential as an alternative crop for managing excessive soluble sodium, boron, and selenium in soil. The plant species should be further evaluated for its ability to accumulate soluble boron and selenium under field conditions in the western side of central California.

Technical Abstract: Salinization is one important factor contributing to land degradation, which affects agricultural production and environmental quality, especially in the West side of central California. When salinization is combined with a natural contamination of trace elements (i.e., Se and B) in arid and semi-arid regions of the western United States, strategies to manage these excessive trace elements, e.g., phytoremediation, may help sustain crop production. To evaluate new crop production on Se- and B-laden arid saline soils, we investigated the potential of the halophyte “agretti” (Salsola soda L.) as an alternative crop for growing in soils containing naturally-occurring selenium (Se), boron (B), and other salts, such as NaCl, CaCl2, Na2SO4, and Na2SeO4. The aim of our greenhouse study was to examine adaptability, B tolerance, and Se accumulation by S. soda grown on soils collected from a typical saline-laden field site located on the West side of the San Joaquin Valley (SJV). Our results showed that S. soda tolerates the saline (EC ~ 10 dS m-1) and B-laden soils (10 mg B L-1) of the SJV even with the additional irrigation of saline- and B-rich water (EC~ 3 dS m-1 and 4 mg B L-1). Under these growing conditions, the plant can accumulate high concentrations of Na (80 g Na kg-1 DW), B (100 mg B kg-1 DW), and Se (3-4 mg Se kg-1 DW) without showing toxicity symptoms. Hence, S. soda showed promising potential as a plant species that can be grown in B-laden saline soils and accumulate and potentially manage excessive soluble Se and B in soil. Further studies need to evaluate its ability to grow under field conditions.