Introductory Crop Physiology (1+1)

Salt stress

A common and important stress factor in desert is the presence of high salt concentrations in he soil. Soil salinity also restricts growth in many temperate regions besides desert.
Millions of acres have gone out of productions as salts from irrigation water accumulate in the soil.

A plant face two problems in such areas

• One of obtaining water from a soil of negative osmotic potential
• Dealing with high concentration of potentially toxic, carbonate and chloride ions.
Some crops plants (Ex: beets, tomato, rye) are much more salt tolerant than others (Ex: onion, peas)