With the increasing scarcity of water resources

it is becoming difficult to use hydraulic engineering measures to regulate salt balance in irrigation districts.Bio-desalination method is of great importance to improve salt balance regulation in irrigation districts where drainage systems are lacking.In this study

we conducted field experiments by using halophytic vegetation in the heavily salinized soils in the agricultural development region of Karamay City.Based on the principle of salt-water balance

the salt content in irrigation water and the amount of bio-desalination of the halophytic vegetation were calculated

and an equation for salt balance regulation was established.Our results indicated that Atriplex aucheri and Suaeda salsa were two ideal options for bio-desalination.The aboveground biomass of Atriplex aucheri was 27 040.4and 25 620.0kg/hm2 in 2009and 2010

respectively

while the ash-free dry weight of Atriplex aucheri after clipping was 7 618.6and 7 019.5kg/hm2 in 2009and 2010

respectively.The corresponding amount of biodesalination was 7.8and 7.2times of the amount of salt introduced by irrigation water

respectively.As for Suaeda salsa

the aboveground biomass was 18 836.4and 19 119.3kg/hm2;while the ash-free dry weight was 5 258.0and 5 185.0kg/hm2

respectively.The corresponding amount of bio-desalination was 5.4and 5.3times of the amount of salt introduced by irrigation water

respectively.We concluded that

bio-desalination using halophytic vegetation will be an important approach to salt balance regulation in irrigation districts where drainage systems are lacking