US-Pakistan Workshop: High Salinity Plants, Karachi, Pakistan, November 2002

Brigham Young University, Provo UT

Investigators

Abstract

0220495 Weber Description: This project supports a U.S.-Pakistan Workshop on High Salinity Plants to be held in Karachi, Pakistan in November 2002. The organizers are Dr. Darrell Weber, Department of Biology and Range Science, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah and Dr. M. Ajmal Khan, Department of Biology, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan. The workshop theme is "High salt tolerant plant ecosystems and their use in restoration of highly saline soils" and the focus will be on the restoration of highly saline soils. The subjects include: collection and characterization of halophytes for use in restoration of highly saline soils, molecular biology of halophytes and identification of their salt tolerant genes, critical factors involved in the establishment of halophytes on highly saline soils, mechanisms of salt tolerance for halophytes, factors involved in maintaining natural halophyte populations, factors involved in maintaining restored halophyte populations, and development of cash crop halophytes. The subjects covered focus on the restoration of highly saline soils, the mechanism of salt tolerance would have value in determining what type of plant is selected for restoration. The workshop is designed to involve a presentation by a U.S. or Pakistan scientist on each specific research area. Information on how to prepare a joint proposal will be presented. The proceedings will have information on restoration of highly saline soils, selected areas of high priority research, as well as a literature guide for the cooperative research. Scope: The workshop is being held in conjunction with the 8th national meeting of the Pakistan Botanical Society. The workshop objectives are consistent with the interests and priorities of the Pakistan Government. It will include U.S. scientists who are active in the field of plant physiology and ecological studies. The U.S. participants include four junior scientists. The results of the workshop will include identifying joint research that would benefit the United States, Pakistan and other countries that have high salinity, especially those that have intensive irrigation systems.