This book gathers the most recent knowledge of microbial ecology of saline habitats, plant-microbe interactions under saline conditions and saline soils reclamation for agricultural use.

It is organized in four main parts: I: Definition, genesis and impact of salinity & microbial diversity in saline habitats; II. The impact of salinity on microbial and plant life/health; III. Plant-microbe interactions in saline environments; IV. Strategies for reclamation of saline soils.

The salinization of arable land is increasing steadily in many parts of the world. Excessive concentration of soluble salts (salinity) in soils, or irrigation water adversely affects growth and survival of plants. This problem exaggerates further in arid and semiarid areas due to low precipitation and high evaporation rates. Poor management practices and policies for using rivers water for irrigation of agriculture crops often induce secondary salinization of soils.

Considering the growing demands of an ever increasing population, the understanding of microbial ecology and interactions under saline conditions and their implications for sustainable agriculture is of utmost importance.

This book reviews the status quo of the field and also gives a future outlook. It is written for researchers, environmentalists and students working in microbiology and agricultiry.

This book gathers the latest findings on the microbial ecology of saline habitats, plant-microbe interactions under saline conditions, and saline soil reclamation for agricultural use. The content is divided into four main parts: Part I outlines the de?nition of salinity, its genesis and impacts, and microbial diversity in saline habitats. Part II deals with impact of salinity on microbial and plant life/health. Part III highlights plant - microbe interactions in saline environments, and Part IV describes strategies for mitigation and reclamation of saline soils.

The salinization of arable land is steadily increasing in many parts of the world. An excessive concentration of soluble salts (salinity) in soils or irrigation water adversely affects plant growth and survival. This problem is exacerbated in arid and semiarid areas due to their low precipitation and high evaporation rates. In turn, poor management practices and policies for using river water forthe irrigation of agriculture crops often lead to the secondary salinization of soils.

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