Effect of Saline Water on Soil Acidity, Alkalinity and Nutrients Leaching in Sandy Loamy Soil in Rwamagana Bella Flower Farm, Rwanda

The necessity to saline and sodic waters is sometimes used for irrigating agricultural activities under certain circumstances, but it is important to note that the use of these waters comes with specific considerations and limitations. One way to decrease undesirable effects of sodic waters on the physical and chemical properties of soils is to apply organic and chemical amendments within the soil. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of saline water on soil acidity, alkalinity and nutrients leaching in sandy loamy soil at Bella flower farm, in Rwamagana District, Rwanda. The water used was from the Muhazi Lake which is classified as Class I (Saline water quality). Column leaching experiments using treated soils were then conducted under saturated conditions. The soil under experimental was first analyzed for its textural classification, soil properties and is classified as sandy loamy soil. The t-test was taken at 1%, 5% and 10% levels of statistical significance compared to control soil. The results indicated that the application of saline water to soils caused an increase in some soil nutrients like increase of Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K+), Magnesium (Mg2+), Sulphur (S), CN ratio and Sodium (Na+) and decreased soil texture, physical and chemical properties and remained soil nutrients. Consequently, the intensive addition of saline water leachates to soil in PVC pipes led to decreased of soil EC through leaching and a raiser Soluble Sodium Percentage (SSP). The rate of saline water application affected the increase accumulation of SAR and Na% in the top soil layers. The study indicated that saline water is an inefficient amendment for sandy soil with saline water irrigation. The study recommends further studies with similar topic with saline water irrigation, as it accentuated the alkalinity levels.

Experimental investigation into the salinity effect on the physicomechanical properties of carbonate saline soil

For engineering structures with saline soil as a filling material,such as channel slope,road subgrade,etc.,the rich soluble salt in the soil is an important potential factor affecting their safety performance.This study examines the Atterberg limits,shear strength,and compressibility of carbonate saline soil samples with different NaHCO3 contents in Northeast China.The mechanism underlying the influence of salt content on soil macroscopic properties was investigated based on a volumetric flask test,a mercury intrusion porosimetry(MIP)test,and a scanning electron microscopic(SEM)test.The results demonstrated that when NaHCO3 contents were lower than the threshold value of 1.5%,the bound water film adsorbed on the surface of clay particles thickened continuously,and correspondingly,the Atterberg limits and plasticity index increased rapidly as the increase of sodium ion content.Meanwhile,the bonding force between particles was weakened,the dispersion of large aggregates was enhanced,and the soil structure became looser.Macroscopically,the compressibility increased and the shear strength(mainly cohesion)decreased by 28.64%.However,when the NaHCO3 content exceeded the threshold value of 1.5%,the salt gradually approached solubility and filled the pores between particles in the form of crystals,resulting in a decrease in soil porosity.The cementation effect generated by salt crystals increased the bonding force between soil particles,leading to a decrease in plasticity index and an improvement in soil mechanical properties.Moreover,this work provides valuable suggestions and theoretical guidance for the scientific utilization of carbonate saline soil in backfill engineering projects.

Stochastic Simulation of Saline Intrusion in the Coastal Aquifer of Saloum, Senegal

In the Saloum region of central-western Senegal, water needs are essentially met by tapping an underground aquifer associated with the sandy-clay formations of the Continental Terminal, in contact with both the ocean to the west and the highly saline waters of the Saloum River to the north. In this estuarine and deltaic zone with its very low relief, the hydraulic loads in the water tables are generally close to zero or even negative, creating a reversal of the natural flow and encouraging saline intrusion into this system, which makes it very vulnerable. This study concerns the implementation of a numerical model of saline intrusion to provide a better understanding of the vulnerability of the water table by analyzing the variability of the freshwater/saltwater interface. The Modflow-2005 code is used to simulate saline intrusion using the SWI2 module, coupled with the GRASS (Geographic Resources Analysis Support System) software under the Linux operating system with the steep interface approach. The probable expansion of the wedge is studied in three scenarios, taking into account its position relative to the bedrock at 1 m, 5 m and 10 m. Simulations carried out under imposed potential and river conditions, based on variations in groundwater reserves using two effective porosity values, 10−1 and 10−2, show that the water table is highly vulnerable in the northwest sector. The probable expansion of the wedge increases as the storage coefficient decreases and is more marked with river conditions in the areas surrounding the Saloum River, reaching 6 km with a probability of 1. The probability of the wedge reaching a certain degree of expansion decreases from 1 to 0.5, and then cancels out as it moves inland. The probable position of the wedge is limited to 500 m or even 1 km depending on the corner around the coast to the southwest and in the southern zone. This modelling, carried out under natural conditions, will be developed further, taking into account climatic parameters and pumping from wells and boreholes.

The effect of seismic action on stability of saline soil subgrade in cold region based on isothermal stratification method

With the change of seasons, the shear strength of saline soil subgrade filler will change with the change of external temperature, which will aggravate the adverse effects of seismic on the subgrade. To explore the influence of seismic action on the stability of saline soil subgrade under the influence of temperature on the strength of saline soil subgrade filler, this paper first carried out saline soil shear tests at different temperatures to obtain the influence of temperature on the shear strength of saline soil. Then, the temperature field of the saline soil subgrade was simulated, and then based on the subgrade isothermal stratification model and FLAC3D, the displacement and acceleration amplification effects of seismic action on the shady slope, sunny slope and subgrade of saline soil subgrade in different months were analyzed. The following conclusions were finally drawn: under the action of seismic, In the process of the change of subgrade temperature of Qarhan-Golmud Expressway between 7.7°C and 27°C, the change of saline soil cohesion is the main factor affecting the stability of subgrade slope, and the maximum and minimum values of subgrade surface settlement appear in September and June of each year,respectively. In August, the differences of settlement between the shady slope and the sunny slope shoulder of the subgrade were the largest, and the acceleration of the shady slope and the sunny slope and the inside of the subgrade changed most significantly in the vertical direction. Special attention should be paid to the seismic early warning in the above key months;In the range from both sides of the shoulder to the centerline of the roadbed,the acceleration amplification effect starts to increase significantly from about 3m from the centerline of the roadbed to the centerline, so it is necessary to pay attention to the seismic design of this range.

Key aspects of underground hydrogen storage in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs and saline aquifers:A review and understanding

Underground hydrogen storage is critical for renewable energy integration and sustainability.Saline aquifers and depleted oil and gas reservoirs represent viable large-scale hydrogen storage solutions due to their capacity and availability.This paper provides a comparative analysis of the current status of hydrogen storage in various environments.Additionally,it assesses the geological compatibility,capacity,and security of these storage environments with minimal leakage and degradation.An in-depth analysis was also conducted on the economic and environmental issues that impact the hydrogen storage.In addition,the capacity of these structures was also clarified,and it is similar to storing carbon dioxide,except for the cushion gas that is injected with hydrogen to provide pressure when withdrawing from the store to increase demand.This research also discusses the pros and cons of hydrogen storage in saline aquifers and depleted oil and gas reservoirs.Advantages include numerous storage sites,compatibility with existing infrastructure,and the possibility to repurpose declining oil and gas assets.Specifically,it was identified that depleted gas reservoirs are better for hydrogen gas storage than depleted oil reservoirs because hydrogen gas may interact with the oil.The saline aquifers rank third because of uncertainty,limited capacity,construction and injection costs.The properties that affect the hydrogen injection process were also discussed in terms of solid,fluid,and solid-fluid properties.In all structures,successful implementation requires characterizing sites,monitoring and managing risks,and designing efficient storage methods.The findings expand hydrogen storage technology and enable a renewable energy-based energy system.

Boosting overall saline water splitting by constructing a strain-engineered high-entropy electrocatalyst

High-entropy materials(HEMs),which are newly manufactured compounds that contain five or more metal cations,can be a platform with desired properties,including improved electrocatalytic performance owing to the inherent complexity.Here,a strain engineering methodology is proposed to design transition-metal-based HEM by Li manipulation(LiTM)with tunable lattice strain,thus tailoring the electronic structure and boosting electrocatalytic performance.As confirmed by the experiments and calculation results,tensile strain in the LiTM after Li manipulation can optimize the d-band center and increase the electrical conductivity.Accordingly,the asprepared LiTM-25 demonstrates optimized oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction activity in alkaline saline water,requiring ultralow overpotentials of 265 and 42 mV at 10 mA cm−2,respectively.More strikingly,LiTM-25 retains 94.6%activity after 80 h of a durability test when assembled as an anion-exchange membrane water electrolyzer.Finally,in order to show the general efficacy of strain engineering,we incorporate Li into electrocatalysts with higher entropies as well.

Simulation Study on the Migration Range of CO_(2) in the Offshore Saline Aquifer

The geological storage of carbon dioxide(CO_(2)) is a crucial technology for mitigating climate change. Offshore deep saline aquifers have elicited increased attention due to their remarkable potential for storing CO_(2). During long-term storage, CO_(2) migration in a deep saline aquifer needs special attention to prevent it from reaching risk points and leading to security issues. In this paper, a mechanism model is established according to the geological characteristics of saline aquifers in an offshore sedimentary basin in China. The CO_(2) migration over 100 years is simulated considering geological changes such as permeability, dip angle, thickness, and salinity. The effects of injection conditions on the CO_(2) migration range are also investigated. Results reveal that the migration range of CO_(2) in the injection period exceeds 70%, even if the postinjection period's duration is five times longer than that of the injection period. As the values of the above geological parameters increase, the migration range of CO_(2) increases, and permeability has a particularly substantial influence. Moreover, the influences of injection rate and well type are considerable. At high injection rates, CO_(2) has a greater likelihood of displacing brine in a piston-like scheme. CO_(2) injected by long horizontal wells migrates farther compared with that injected by vertical wells. In general, the plane migration range is within 3 000 m, although variations in the reservoir and injection parameters of the studied offshore saline aquifers are considered. This paper can offer references for the site selection and injection well deployment of CO_(2) saline aquifer storage. According to the studied offshore aquifers, a distance of at least 3 000 m from potential leakage points, such as spill points, active faults, and old abandoned wells, must be maintained.

Results of an Eight Year Long Practice of Saline Bipolar Transurethral Resection of Prostate

Background: Open prostatectomy has long been the only prostatic bladder outlet obstruction’s surgery available in Benin. It is prone to postoperative bleeding and infections and is not suitable for prostate cancer-induced bladder outlet obstruction. Objective: To evaluate the first results of endoscopic surgery of prostatic bladder outlet obstruction in our environment. Patients and Method: We conducted an observational study of saline bipolar transurethral resection of prostate (B-TURP) at the former Military Teaching Hospital of Cotonou. We retrospectively collected the data from patients’ medical records from November 17, 2014, to September 7, 2022. We used Excel 2019 to make a descriptive analysis of the data. Results: Saline B-TURP was performed in 60 consecutive patients. Their mean age was 69.1 years (range: 48-85). The procedure was indicated in 22 (36.7%), 32 (53.3%), 3 (5%), and 3 (5%) patients, respectively for acute urinary retention, chronic urinary retention, obstructive renal failure, and unresponsiveness to alpha-blockers. 35 patients (58.3%) had prostate cancer (PCa). 25 patients (41.7) had benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). No patient got a blood transfusion. The duration of postoperative hospitalization was 3 days (88.3%) to 5 days (11.7%). 5 patients (8.3%), i.e., 3 BPH and 2 prostate cancer patients got preoperative urinary tract infection. The causative bacteria were Escherichia coli in 3 patients (60%), Klebsiella pneumoniae in 2 patients (40%), and multi-resistant Acinetobacter as a metachronous infection to Escherichia coli in 1 patient (20%). All the infections were associated with indwelling Foley catheter. 7 patients (11.7%), i.e., 3 BPH and 4 prostate cancer patients, got a second resection to recover full spontaneous micturition. Prostate size was available in the medical record of 21 BPH patients and 15 prostate cancer patients. Prostate size ranged from 22 to 123 g with a mean value of 61.1 g in BPH patients, and from 34 to 180 g with a mean value of 82.8 g in prostate cancer patients. The overall mean prostate size was 70.1 g. Conclusion: Saline B-TURP was a safe surgery for bladder outlet obstruction in either benign prostate hyperplasia or prostate cancer patients.

Potential evaluation of saline aquifers for the geological storage of carbon dioxide: A case study of saline aquifers in the Qian-5 member in northeastern Ordos Basin

The well-developed coal electricity generation and coal chemical industries have led to huge carbon dioxide(CO_(2))emissions in the northeastern Ordos Basin.The geological storage of CO_(2) in saline aquifers is an effective backup way to achieve carbon neutrality.In this case,the potential of saline aquifers for CO_(2) storage serves as a critical basis for subsequent geological storage project.This study calculated the technical control capacities of CO_(2) of the saline aquifers in the fifth member of the Shiqianfeng Formation(the Qian-5 member)based on the statistical analysis of the logging and the drilling and core data from more than 200 wells in the northeastern Ordos Basin,as well as the sedimentary facies,formation lithology,and saline aquifer development patterns of the Qian-5 member.The results show that(1)the reservoirs of saline aquifers in the Qian-5 member,which comprise distributary channel sand bodies of deltaic plains,feature low porosities and permeabilities;(2)The study area hosts three NNE-directed saline aquifer zones,where saline aquifers generally have a single-layer thickness of 3‒8 m and a cumulative thickness of 8‒24 m;(3)The saline aquifers of the Qian-5 member have a total technical control capacity of CO_(2) of 119.25×10^(6) t.With the largest scale and the highest technical control capacity(accounting for 61%of the total technical control capacity),the Jinjie-Yulin saline aquifer zone is an important prospect area for the geological storage of CO_(2) in the saline aquifers of the Qian-5 member in the study area.

Improvements in saline soil and the law of water-salt transport based on salt inhibition using MICP technology

Soil desertification and salinization are the main environmental disasters in arid and semi-arid areas.It is of great significance to study the water-salt migration law of saline soil and propose corresponding water-salt regulation and control measures.Microbial-induced calcite precipitation(MICP)technology was proposed to improve saline soil based on salt inhibition,and the water–salt–heat coupling migration law and salt-frost heave deformation law of saline soil before and after improvement were studied using soil column model tests.XR1#,XR2#(Saline-alkali-tolerant mineralization bacteria isolated from saline soil)and Sporosarcina pasteurii were used in the MICP improvement and the effect of XR1#was the best.Under high-temperature evaporation,the water migration change rate,water loss rate,accumulated evaporation amount,and accumulated salt content of the improved soil columns within a depth range of 0–40 cm were reduced by an average of 53.6%,47.3%,69.5%,and 40%,respectively,compared with the untreated soil column.During low-temperature cooling,the characteristics of water-salt migration changed significantly,and the deformation of salt-frost heave decreased significantly.The water-salt content at the freezing point(−4.5°C)changed from a cliff-like steep drop(untreated saline soil)to a slow decrease at environmental temperature(MICP-treated saline soil),and the amount of water crystallization decreased from 81%to 56.7%at−5°C.At the end of the cooling process,the amount of salt-frost heaving on the surface of the soil columns decreased by an average of 62.7%.Based on the measured data,a numerical simulation was conducted using the HYDRUS-1D model,which had good reliability and accurately simulated and predicted the law of water-salt migration in saline soil under the conditions of microbial solidification and improvement.MICP technology significantly reduced the change rate of water-salt migration and water evaporation in saline soil,hindered salt accumulation,and reduced salt-frost heave deformation,which effectively improved saline soil.The research results provide an important innovation and theoretical basis for the improvement of saline soil.

Subsurface Temperature and Salinity Structures Inversion Using a Stacking-Based Fusion Model from Satellite Observations in the South China Sea

Three-dimensional ocean subsurface temperature and salinity structures(OST/OSS)in the South China Sea(SCS)play crucial roles in oceanic climate research and disaster mitigation.Traditionally,real-time OST and OSS are mainly obtained through in-situ ocean observations and simulation by ocean circulation models,which are usually challenging and costly.Recently,dynamical,statistical,or machine learning models have been proposed to invert the OST/OSS from sea surface information;however,these models mainly focused on the inversion of monthly OST and OSS.To address this issue,we apply clustering algorithms and employ a stacking strategy to ensemble three models(XGBoost,Random Forest,and LightGBM)to invert the real-time OST/OSS based on satellite-derived data and the Argo dataset.Subsequently,a fusion of temperature and salinity is employed to reconstruct OST and OSS.In the validation dataset,the depth-averaged Correlation(Corr)of the estimated OST(OSS)is 0.919(0.83),and the average Root-Mean-Square Error(RMSE)is0.639°C(0.087 psu),with a depth-averaged coefficient of determination(R~2)of 0.84(0.68).Notably,at the thermocline where the base models exhibit their maximum error,the stacking-based fusion model exhibited significant performance enhancement,with a maximum enhancement in OST and OSS inversion exceeding 10%.We further found that the estimated OST and OSS exhibit good agreement with the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model(HYCOM)data and BOA_Argo dataset during the passage of a mesoscale eddy.This study shows that the proposed model can effectively invert the real-time OST and OSS,potentially enhancing the understanding of multi-scale oceanic processes in the SCS.

纯钛在蒸馏水和Saline溶液中的微动腐蚀行为

采用液压高精度微动试验机研究了球/平面接触纯钛摩擦副在蒸馏水和Saline溶液介质中的微动腐蚀特性.在动力学特性分析的基础上,用激光共焦扫描显微镜(LCSM)观察了磨痕表面形貌并测量了磨损体积.结果表明:蒸馏水和Saline溶液降低了摩擦系数,改变了微动运行区域;干态下的体积磨损量最小,3种介质中的摩擦系数与磨损体积均随位移的增大而增大.微动磨损机制主要表现为粘着与剥落;水基介质中,磨损与腐蚀的交互作用显著加速了钛的材料流失.

Ti6Al4V合金在Saline溶液中的微动腐蚀特性

采用液压高精度微动试验机,做了Ti6A l4V/Si3N4摩擦副在干态、蒸馏水和Saline溶液等3种介质中的微动腐蚀试验,用激光共焦扫描显微镜(LCSM)观察了磨痕表面形貌并测量了磨损体积。结果表明:蒸馏水和Saline溶液改变了微动运行区域;空气中的摩擦因数与磨损体积最大,Saline溶液中最小,3种介质中的摩擦因数与磨损体积均随位移增加而增加;载荷增加时,磨损体积增大而摩擦因数减小;较大位移时,腐蚀与磨损交互作用显著地加速了Ti6A l4V的材料流失;微动损伤主要表现为剥落与磨粒磨损共同作用。

saline溶液中钛合金扭动微动运行区域研究

在自制的已获专利的恒温扭动磨损腐蚀试验装置上,对TC4钛合金在saline溶液中的扭动微动磨损行为进行了研究,通过扭动三维图、磨损形貌等特征对扭动微动运行区域进行了重点讨论。结果表明,与切向微动类似,在介质中的扭动过程中也出现了微动的3个运行区域,3个区域的摩擦扭矩曲线、扭动三维图、磨斑形貌及损伤机理表现出不同的特征;扭动微动的混合区磨损形貌与切向微动不同,在扭动初期,磨斑表现为典型的微动环特征,随循环次数增加,损伤区域逐渐向心部扩展,并有完全覆盖接触区域,使整个接触区域都发生磨损的趋势。滑移区的Tf-θ曲线受频率影响明显,在低频率时为典型的平行四边形,随频率升高,逐渐变成椭圆形。

316L不锈钢在Saline溶液中的微动磨蚀行为研究

采用球 -平面接触微动磨损试验设备考察了轧制固溶 31 6L不锈钢在 Saline溶液中的微动磨蚀行为 .研究表明 ,31 6L不锈钢的微动过程存在显著的阶段性 :微动初期为磨合期 ;第一稳定阶段摩擦副处于高摩擦应力状态 ,伴随着不锈钢表面缝隙腐蚀与弹塑性损伤的积累 ;第二过渡阶段和第二稳定阶段不锈钢表面呈微断裂剥层特征 ,腐蚀引起的微断裂不可忽视 .不锈钢微动损伤表面形貌同微动损伤速率之间存在对应关系 .

Amelioration of Salt Stress on Wheat Plants Growth in Coastal Saline Soil by a Phosphate Solubilizing Bacterium Enterobacteria sp. EnHy-401

A pot experiment was conducted to examine the effects of a phosphate solubilizing bacterium（PSB）,Enterobacteria sp.EnHy-401,on the availability of insoluble accumulative phosphorus（P）and growth of wheat（Triticum Ningmai No.13）plants in sterile saline soil.Our results showed that the strain EnHy-401 had the ability to activate the insoluble accumulated phosphorus in saline soil and enhanced nutrient uptake efficiency by wheat plants,then conferred resistance in wheat plants to salt stress and resulted in a significant growth increase.In saline soil inoculated with Enterobacteria sp.EnHy-401,available phosphorus and exchangeable calcium was increased from 6.4 mg/kg and 1 162 mg/kg to 10.3 mg/kg and 1 214 mg/kg,respectively.Wheat seedling grown in soil inoculated with the EnHy-401 strain increased shoot weight by 28.1% and root weight by 14.6% when compared to the control.P,Ca,K and Mg contents in shoots increased 34.4%,36.3%,31.5%,and 6.3% compared to the control,respectively.the fact that the increases in available P,biomass P,and Ca2＋ concentration in saline soil treated with PSB Enterobacter sp.EnHy-401 inocula,and high relativity between the P,Ca,K,and Mg content in wheat tissue and dry matter indicated that PSB Enterobacter sp.EnHy-401 suppressed the adverse effect of salinity stress in plants through nutrient（P and Ca）supply and nutrient（K and Mg）uptake enhancement.The phosphate solubilizing activity of Enterobacteria sp.EnHy-401 and the amelioration of salt stress on wheat plants by the strain varied with the salinity levels and content of organic matter in the saline soil.

Effects of Heavy Metals and Saline-alkali on Growth,Physiology and Biochemistry of Orychophragmus violaceus

[Objective] The aim was to study on effects of heavy metals and saline-alkali on growth, physiology and biochemistry of Orychophragmus violaceus. [Method] Taken Orychophragmus violaceus as materials, growth, physiology and biochemistry were explored under stress of saline-alkali and heavy metals (light, moderate and severe saline-alkali, Pb, Pb + Cd, light saline-alkali + Pb, moderate saline-alkali + Pb, severe saline-alkali + Pb, light saline-alkali + Pb + Cd, moderate saline-alkali + Pb + Cd and severe saline-alkali + Pb + Cd) with control group set. [Result] Light stress of saline-alkali had little effect on membrane permeability, as follows: MDA contents in leaves and root systems declined by 25.6% and 9.0% compared with control group; Pb (500 mg/L) stress promoted synthetization of photosynthetic pigments, as follows: chlorophyll a and b and carotenoid increased by 0.86%, 0.69% and 6.25% than those of control group; combined stresses of Pb and Cd destroyed synthetization of photosynthetic pigments, among which carotenoid was more sensitive; under combined stresses of saline-alkali, Pb and Cd, POD and SOD activities, soluble saccharides and Pro content all increased and activities of POD and SOD in root system were both higher than those in leaves. [Conclusion] Orychophragmus violaceus is with resistance against light combined stresses of saline-alkali and Pb (500 mg/L).

Analysis on Reflectance Spectral Characteristics of Typical Saline Soil in Arid Area

The spectral characteristic of geography objects is not only the important content of remote sensing mechanism, but also the important basis for remote sensing application. The reflectance spectral characteristics reflect the physiochemi-cal properties of saline soil. With 3 kinds of typical saline soils in the arid area as the study objects, the reflectance spectrums of soils with different salt contents and soil moistures were measured, and the spectral characteristics of the spectrums were analyzed. The results showed that under dry condition, the reflectance of the three kinds of saline soils presented obvious high-low patterns, while under damp condition, there was no obvious pattern. With continuum removed ,the three kinds of saline soils showed significant difference in reflectance spectral characteristics. There was significant difference in the absorption depth of the two absorption val eys un-der dry and damp conditions, which could be used to identify these 3 saline soils. The result of this research can be used for the parametric inversion and classifica-tion of saline soil retrieval and classification, as wel as for the remote sensing monitoring on saline soil.

Comparison of the Evolvement Structure of Chenopodium album L.under the Stress of Different Saline Environments

[Objective] The aim of this study was to reveal the evolvement structures,especially the crystal characteristics of Chenopodium album L.under saline stress,so as to providing the first-hand data for utilizing biological techniques to control saline environment.[Method] Employing high definition display method of plant crystal structure and paraffin-section method,we performed a comparative study on the evolvement structures of C.album growing in high salinity areas in the coast of Egyptian Red Sea and common salinity areas in the grasslands in Changling County of Jilin Province.[Result] The regionally distributed crystal and the developed assimilating tissue of C.album are the key structural characteristics to antagonize the saline stress during the evolving process.Stem cortex of C.album growing in both the high salinity areas in coast of Egyptian Red Sea and common salinity areas in the grasslands in Changling County of Jilin Province has similar discontinuous crystal rings.Assimilating tissue in C.album growing in high salinity areas is highly developed than that in common salinity environment.Comparative analysis indicates that the developed stratum corneum and marrow is also the key structural characteristics to antagonize the saline stress.[Conclusion] Our results provide a valuable approach to study the salt-tolerance mechanism of plant using structural botanical techniques,i.e.,crystal may become the identification characteristics of salt tolerant plant.

Effects of saline irrigation on soil salt accumulation and grain yield in the winter wheat-summer maize double cropping system in the low plain of North China

In the dominant winter wheat （WW）-summer maize （SM） double cropping system in the low plain located in the North China, limited access to fresh water, especially during dry season, constitutes a major obstacle to realize high crop productivity. Using the vast water resources of the saline upper aquifer for irrigation during WW jointing stage, may help to bridge the peak of dry season and relieve the tight water situation in the region. A field experiment was conducted during 2009-2012 to investigate the effects of saline irrigation during WW jointing stage on soil salt accumulation and productivity of WW and SM. The experiment treatments comprised no irrigation （T1）, fresh water irrigation （T2）, slightly saline water irrigation （T3：2.8 dS m-l）, and strongly saline water irrigation （T4：8.2 dS m-1） at WW jointing stage. With regard to WW yields and aggregated annual WW-SM yields, clear benefits of saline water irrigation （T3 ＆ T4） compared to no irrigation （T1）, as well as insignificant yield losses compared to fresh water irrigation （T2） occurred in all three experiment years. However, the increased soil salinity in eady SM season in consequence of saline irrigation exerted a negative effect on SM photosynthesis and final yield in two of three experiment years. To avoid the negative aftereffects of saline irrigation, sufficient fresh water irrigation during SM sowing phase （i.e., increase from 60 to 90 mm） is recommended to guarantee good growth conditions during the sensitive early growing period of SM. The risk of long-term accumulation of salts as a result of saline irrigation during the peak of dry season is considered low, due to deep leaching of salts during regularly occurring wet years, as demonstrated in the 2012 experiment year. Thus, applying saline water irrigation at jointing stage of WW and fresh water at sowing of SM is most promising to realize high yield and fresh irrigation water saving.