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Updated: 09-12-10

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE USE OF AVICENNIA MARINA FORSK VIERH. TO RECLAIM WATERLOGGED AND SALINE AGRICULTURAL LAND

KANWAL NAZIM^1*, MOINUDDIN AHMED², MUHAMMAD UZAIR KHAN¹, NASRULLAH KHAN², MUHAMMAD WAHAB² AND MUHAMMAD FAHEEM SIDDIQUI³

Abstract: Mangroves are woody plants that grow in tropical and sub tropical areas. The mangroves can exist under wide range of salinity, tidal amplitude, wind and temperature, even in muddy and anaerobic soil condition. An experiment was conducted in the University Campus to know the establishment, survival and growth of seedlings of Avicennia marina based on planting observations in water logged and saline silty loam of Karachi. Growth and physiological responses were recorded at seedlings stages. The area of seeds, height, number of leaves, area of leaves and number of pneumatophores were recorded. Physical and chemical analyses of soil and water were also carried out in order to get better information. The result showed that due to availability of oxygen, mangroves did not hold up complexity to respire that’s why could not exhibit pneumatophores. It is suggested that those areas which are fully saline and waterlogged and unable to support any other crop can be conserved by planting mangroves.
 

Laboratory of Dendrochronolog and Plant Ecology, ²Department of Botany and

Department of Zoology, Federal Urdu University of Arts Science & Technology Karachi Pakistan, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Campus Karachi, Pakistan

³Department of Botany, Govt. Degree Science/Commerce College, Landhi/Korangi, Karachi, Pakistan 

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