SALVADORA PERSICA - A BOON TO WASTELAND DEVELOPMENT

In the pursuit of using neglected resources, a new scientific concept of using wastelands has to be envisaged. The saline/alkaline lands are spread over nine million of ha in our country and are distributed. bo th in inland and coastal regions. Such landscape can be profitably put to use by growing salt tolerant plants. Salvadora persica is one of t he most promising plant to be grown on such lands. This plant can be g rown on various soils and has immense industrial applications. The dri ed seeds contain 30 to 40 per cent oil which is of great economic sign ificance. Purified oil is used in soap making and detergent industries as a substitute for coconut oil. The oil of Salvadora is being exploi ted by various companies like, Godrej Soaps Ltd., Mumbai; Tata Oil Mil ls, Mumbai; Hindustan Lever Ltd., Mumbai; etc. The root of this plant contains a steam distillable oil that has 90 per cent benzylisothiocya nate, the compound responsible for decreasing dental caries and hence can be used in the preparation of tooth paste. The wood of this plant is useful in the timber industry. Apart from this, the plant has vario us uses like in medicinal component, useful as a shelter belt, fuel, a nd fodder. This paper aims at elucidating the utilization of wasteland s by growing Salvadora persica which has various immense potential app lications in the above fields.