Salinity

Class: Abiotic Stress
Symptoms:

Toxic levels of sodium chloride (table salt) cause salt damage to crops. High concentrations of sodium chloride can have a devastating impact on seed germination and create osmotic stress causing plants to become water deficit. High concentrations of sodium chloride can also cause ion imbalances and toxicity that is seen on older leaves as burned tips, which can develop into more extended necrosis.

Control Measures

First line of defense is prevention: Check the level of salts in the designated soil before planting. Plan in advance, taking into account crop susceptibility to sodium chloride, soil structure and characteristics, and the quality of your water source. If necessary, initiate preventive measures that can improve overall drainage or initiate several preplanting, high volume irrigation executions in order to wash and push aside salts.

*Names marked in red are considered to be highly poisonous to beneficial insects.

*Names marked in green are considered to be organic and IPM (integrated pest management) compatible.

Caution and careful notice should be taken when using any plant protection products (insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides). It is the grower’s sole responsibility to keep track of the legal uses and permissions with respect to the laws in their country and destination markets. Always read the instructions written on labels, and in a case of contradiction, work in accordance to the product label. Keep in mind that information written on the label usually applies to local markets. Pest control products intended for organic farming are generally considered to be less effective in comparison to conventional products. When dealing with organic, biologic, and to some extent a small number of conventional chemical products, a complete eradication of a pest or disease will often require several iterations of a specific treatment or combination of treatments.

Image Gallery