Influence of hybrid giant Napier grass on salt and nutrient distributions with depth in a saline soil.

Cultivation of the biofuel plant, hybrid giant Napier grass (HGN), in saline soil was investigated in a greenhouse study. The results show that HGN is a salt tolerant plant which can flourish in saline soil and product a large amount of biomass. The extensively developed fibrous root system of HGN plays a significant role in the uptake of sodium from saline soil so that both soil salinity and pH are reduced. Fibrous roots of HGN are well distributed in the soil below the surface, where the metabolism of the root system produces a gradient at the depth between 10 and 20 cm in soil salinity, pH and organic content. The degradation of the HGN by the biota within the soil results in an increase in nutrients and improved soil quality. The experimental results suggest that HGN adapts to saline soil, which is promising for phytoremediation of such soils. Additional advantages of HGN include the large biomass produced which can be used for renewable energy generation.