Soil salinity (high soluble salt concentrations), sodicity (high sodium concentrations) and waterlogging (low oxygen availability) have made enormous areas of previously productive agricultural land around the world marginal or unsuitable for farming. Severe examples of both irrigated and dryland salinity are found in Pakistan, Thailand and Australia. All three countries have also experienced depletion of forests and in Pakistan and Thailand there is a particular shortage of fuelwood for domestic energy needs.

Several promising Australian, other exotic and local species have been identified for planting on moderate and highly salt-affected sites in Pakistan and Thailand. The results showed evidence of considerable intra-specific variation in survival and growth for several of the Australian species. In this project the scientists will determine the extent of this variation so that recommendations can be made for large-scale plantings from improved seed sources.