Salt Tolerant Plants

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by Michaelangelica, Dec 3, 2009.

  1. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Two things made me intersted in this-- discusion on the forum about asparagus, beets and other plants tolerating salt
    Also the impending world water shortage-where are we going to find water for another 2.5 billion people?
    I don't know if this has been discussed in the past as this program's search engine is not good enough for me to check.
    If you know of any salt tolerant plants please lengthen the list.
    Serendipitously i just came across an interesting article on this.

    First defining 'salt tolerant is hard. There are many salts, some used as fertilisers
    the article uses this graph to define it
    [​IMG]
    Tolerant crops he lists include these but see the article for more detail.
    https://www.fao.org/DOCREP/005/Y4263E/y4263e0e.htm
    Asparagus
    Barley
    Canola or rapeseed
    Cotton
    Date-palm
    Fig (mildly tolerant)
    Guar Cyamopsis tetragonoloba
    Kenaf Hibiscus cannabinus
    Natal plum Carissa grandiflora
    Wildrye, Altai Elymus angustus
    Wildrye, Russian E. junceus
    millet
    Triticale
    Sugar beet
    Tamarugo Prosopis tamarugo
    Wheat, Durum
    Alkaligrass, Nuttall Puccinellia airoides (Nutt.)
    oats
    Kallargrass Leptochloa fusca
    Saltgrass, desert Distichlis spicta

    The article also lists plants that are mildly tolerant of salt and those sensitive to salt.

    Is there any way of testing soil salt levels? (apart from waiting for it to go white).
     
  2. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    Re: Salt Tolerant Plants

    We (our local Landcare group) test a section of our local waterway (Bendigo Creek) as part of the Waterwatch program (see: https://www.nccma.vic.gov.au/What_We_Do/ ... index.aspx). The NCCMA gives us access to their Ec meter. Whenever I need to get a soil test done at the lab (I use this mob: https://www.apal.com.au/AboutAPAL.aspx), the ($140) test results always include Salinty Ec (eletrical conductivity). Don't know of any other (cheaper?) way. However, often the first indication of a salinity problem arising on a site will be evident by the presence of 'indicator' plants. In our part of the world, the most common 'indicator' is Spiny Rush (Juncus acutus) (see: https://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/DPI/Vro/vrosi ... spiny_rush).

    Concerning 'salt tolerant' plants: I always look at areas that are naturally saline close to the site/project I'm consulting on, then check the endemic species list (really only helpful for indigenous plants), and work out the planting list from that. Similarly, another practice is sourcing seed from plants growing naturally in highly saline areas, propagating and then planting in the area where salt is a problem for you. Recently I did some planning for a property that had visible patches of dryland salinity. The owner was keen to get on top of the 'problem' (which had been exacerbated by a history of denuding surrounding hilltops/recharge areas). I advised a reveg program for the the recharge areas, and a deep-rip and mound (on contour) for the areas where salt was 'crusting' at surface level, to be followed up by a close cropping of Old Man Saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) (for more info, see: https://www.oldmansaltbush.com/). The plan is he's going to grow sheep on the salt bush, and export his salt 'problem' to the Middle East.

    You're dead right though, Micheal. Potable water is a precious commodity, and salinty is an ever-increasing concern. The only solution I can see is to restore the hydrogeological balance - could take a while though.

    Marko.
     
  3. bernado soares

    bernado soares Junior Member

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    Re: Salt Tolerant Plants

    BayberryMyrica gale )Myrica(sp)( is an attractive midsize shrub that
    keeps its leaves longer than most plants and is
    covered for most of the winter with waxy gray
    berries (the source of bayberry candles). In
    addition, bayberry is highly salt tolerant and
    performs equally well near the seashore or on
    highway embankments where road salt applied
    during the winter tends to accumulate(if you live in the cold),it also has a frankia bacterial N fixing association so you get more bang for your buck.You can flavour your beer or snaps with it and it makes a handy insect repellant.
    Casuanna equisetifolia,Casurinas(for the hotter climbs) in general are all very salt tolerant and again you get bang for your buck because the can fix N through the frankia,gots to love actinorizal plants.I believe that most seaweeds are salt repellers and you might like to try any number of the cyno bacteria/maybe even azolla,you could chuck a great big lot of fungal rich compost or fungal dominated compost tea down for a giggle as well.To test for salt you can get a good amount of soil in distilled water give it a good shake and test the levels as you would for water?
    Bernado
     
  4. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    Re: Salt Tolerant Plants

    Good stuff tar
    Indicator plants good idea. What would they be?
    (there are said to be indicator plants for gold and other precious minerals. This close to Christmas, perhaps this is a thread we could start??:) )

    There was a story on the ABC (Landline?) recently (in last 12 months) about a N. outback farmer planting countless thousands of hectares with Old Man Salbush. Perhaps he was looking to produce salt-beef?

    Cassurina _of course!!
    Bayberry is surprising. i guess, when i think, it does have hard shiny leaves(?from memory?) which must help. Similar plants would be the Laurels especially the Bay Laurel also Rosemary (rose - marinus- the rose of the sea) other plants with small leaves perhaps Tea Tree???

    Amazing the way you can get books electronically these days > i just came accross this one
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    https://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?recor ... 89&page=21
    [​IMG]
    https://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?recor ... 89&page=21

    One for you mark
    Diagnosis and Improvement of Saline and Alkaline Soils (Agriculture Handbook No. 60) (Paperback)
    https://www.amazon.com/Saline-Water-Agri ... 930&sr=8-5

    Something I would like to know about. perhaps it could help my outrageous water bill
    Use of Saline Water in Agriculture
    https://www.amazon.com/Saline-Water-Agri ... 930&sr=8-5
     
  5. bernado soares

    bernado soares Junior Member

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    Re: Salt Tolerant Plants

    Thats a nice site......very nice.I always feel that I understand more when a book is free.It a similar thing to the taste increase in free food.
    Thanks Bernardo
     
  6. SueinWA

    SueinWA Junior Member

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    Re: Salt Tolerant Plants

    "Is there any way of testing soil salt levels? (apart from waiting for it to go white)."

    Your basic soil test should give you some idea of what your level is. My $8 test showed 1.1% Cation saturation.

    In the book Hands-On Agronomy by Neal Kinsey, he says that less than 0.5% is deficient, and over 3% is excessive. BUT these are with his tests and methods, which may differ somewhat from the tests your local labs do, but I suspect that anything that is waaaaaay off is bad.

    Also from the book: (snippets) "Sodium problems are not caused just by excessive levels in irrigation water. A soil compaction layer can cause it to accumulate because water cannot properly move it through the soil... . An excess of sodium is usually the easiest to remove of all the cations. But without the 60% saturation of calcium, the sodium problem will only get worse... The first order of business is to open the soil by correcting the calcium saturation to 60% or more. Then use sulfur to deplete any sodium excess... When Calcium is good but magnesium and sodium are both high, the soil is so tight that water and roots have trouble penetrating downward. With high sodium, magnesium and sulfur and low calcium, correction is difficult and must be done carefully; and it will take longer and cost more time and money."

    He also warns that some manures can be high enough in sodium (probably from urine) to cause problems, or increase problems if your soil already has higher sodium levels. High sodium levels can cause high pH levels, too.

    Sue
     
  7. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

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    https://hypography.com/forums/scien...-salt-lightly-for-nutrient-rich-tomatoes.html

    https://www.rittenhouse.ca/hortmag/glynis/salty.asp
    #
    Category:Halophytes and salt tolerant plants - Wikipedia, the free ...
    Start the Category:Halophytes and salt tolerant plants page · Search for "Category:Halophytes and ... This list may not reflect recent changes (learn more). ...
    en.wikipedia.org/.../Category:Halophytes_and_salt_tolerant_plants - Cached - Similar
    # [PDF]
    Download the plant list [PDF] - Drought tolerant plants suitable ...
    File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - Quick View
    plants, to see what seems to be surviving in dry areas. Be alert to weed species, many are very drought tolerant but also. • undesirable. The plant list ...
    www.actewagl.com.au/publications/Xeriscape_List.pdf - Similar
    #
    Soil-salinity Tolerant Plants - Central and Northern Victorian
    https://www.land.vic.gov.au/DPI/Vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/sss_field_guide
    A list of salt-tolerant plants that commonly occur in the Central and Northern Victorian Region appear below. The estimated soil salinity classes in which ...
    www.land.vic.gov.au/DPI/Vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/statewide_nth_vic - Cached
    #
    Salinity Indicator Plants - A guide to spotting soil salting
    Even the most salt-tolerant plant species, generally require seasonal salt ... is a much a guide to identification of plants on saline sites as a list of ...
    www.land.vic.gov.au/DPI/Vro/vrosite.../water_spotting_soil_salting

    https://landscaping.about.com/od/landscapingproblems1/a/salt_tolerant.htm
     

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