Notes about Haloxylon salicornicum (Moq.) Bunge ex Boiss., a promising shrub for arid regions

Abstract

Haloxylon salicornicum is a shrub species found in arid regions and has beneficial applications that include fruiting tops and seed as animal feed, seed as emergency food, wood as fuel, different plant parts for medicine, and restoration of degraded lands. Moreover, the species is tolerant to abiotic stresses such as drought and high temperature which make it suitable for cultivation in marginal lands of arid regions. Lack of research in H. salicornicum hinders its successful improvement and promotion. Sixty five accessions of H. salicornicum collected from North-western Rajasthan were characterized in terms of growth attributes and yield. Characterization of growth traits and yield showed that there are extensive variations in plant height, canopy diameter, number of branches, above ground biomass and seed yields. This article aims at summarizing information on distribution, ecology, uses and diversity of H. salicornicum to stimulate interest in this species to promote its domestication in arid lands.