Phytoremediation Efficiency of Salicornia brachiata Roxb. A Salt Marsh Halophyte on Restoration of Shrimp Farm Contaminated Soil

Global climate change and human interference are progressively increasing the level of salt-affected land, thereby diminishing the availability of agricultural land and compromises food quality. Current experiment was conducted on salt-affected agricultural land contaminated by shrimp farm at Thandavarayan Sholangan Pettai, Cuddalore district, Tamil Nadu, utilizing Salicornia brachiata a biological tool to assess its efficacy in mitigating salinity. This study was conducted over a period of 4-months to determine the morpho-anatomical variations, biochemical, antioxidant enzymes and soil physico-chemical properties. The results demonstrated that Salicornia brachiata exhibits a robust phytoaccumulation capacity of 290 kg NaCl ha-1 which also led to a decrease in the soil pH from 8.8 to 6.83, electrical conductivity from 5.7 to 1.96 dSm-1 and sodium adsorption ratio from 17.2 to 6.5 mmol L-1. Gradual increase in plant height, biomass, stem thickness, biochemical, and antioxidant enzyme activity was noticed throughout the experimental period when compared to the control. Revegetation can be possible through successive cultivation of Salicornia brachiata in a salt-affected lands, thereby alleviating a significant constraint on crop productivity.