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¶ Table 1a. Salinity Tolerance: Grain, Fiber, and Sugar Crops |
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| Average root zone electrical conductivity measured in saturated paste soil extract (ECe, mmho/cm) | ||||||||
| Crop1 | Growth stage or harvest type | Rating2 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 |
| Percent relative yield compared to equivalent, non-saline conditions | ||||||||
| Barley | germination | T | 95 – 100 | 95 – 100 | 90 – 95 | 90 – 95 | 90 – 95 | 90 – 95 |
| grain | T | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
| Beans, edible | germination | S | 85 – 100 | 80 – 90 | 80 – 85 | 75 – 80 | 70 – 80 | 65 – 75 |
| seed (grain) | S | 95 – 100 | 75 – 85 | 55 – 70 | 35 – 50 | 20 – 30 | 0 – 10 | |
| Canola | seed (grain) | T | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Corn | germination | S | 100 | 100 | a | b | b | b |
| emergence | S | 100 | 100 | d | d | e | e | |
| seedling growth | MS | 90 – 100 | 80 – 90 | 70 – 80 | 60 – 70 | 50 – 60 | 40 – 50 | |
| grain | MS | 100 | 95 – 100 | 80 – 90 | 70 – 75 | 55 – 65 | 45 – 50 | |
| Cotton | seed cotton | T | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Crambe | seed (grain) | MS | 100 | 100 | 90 – 95 | 85 – 90 | 8575 | 70 – 75 |
| Flax | seed (grain) | MS | 100 | 95 – 100 | 80 – 90 | 70 – 75 | 55 – 65 | 45 – 50 |
| Guar | seed (grain) | T | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Kenaf | stems | MT | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Milllet, foxtail | grain | MS | 100 | 100 | 80 – 100 | 70 – 90 | 60 – 80 | 50 – 70 |
| Mungbean | seed (grain) | MT | 100 | 100 | 80 – 100 | 70 – 90 | 60 – 80 | 50 – 70 |
| Oats | grain | MT | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 85 – 100 | 80 – 100 |
| Peanut | seed (grain) | MS | 100 | 100 | 95 – 100 | 70 – 85 | 40 – 55 | 10 – 30 |
| Rice (paddy-grown) | grain3 | S | 100 | 100 | 95 – 100 | 85 – 90 | 70 – 85 | 55 – 70 |
| Rye | germination | --- | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | d | d |
| grain | T | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
| Safflower | seed (grain) | MT | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 85 – 100 | 80 – 100 |
| Sesame | seed (grain) | S | 80 – 100 | 50 – 70 | 20 – 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sorghum | germination | MS | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | d | d |
| vegetative growth | MT | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 95 – 100 | |
| grain | MT | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
| Soybeans | germination4 | --- | 90 – 100 | 60 – 90 | 40 – 60 | 25 – 40 | 10 – 25 | 0 – 10 |
| grain | MT | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 95 – 100 | 75 – 85 | |
| Sugarbeets | germination | --- | 95 – 100 | 80 – 95 | 70 – 80 | 50 – 70 | 20 – 50 | 0 – 25 |
| root yield | T | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
| Sugarcane | shoot yield | MS | 100 | 95 – 100 | 90 – 95 | 85 – 90 | 75 – 85 | 70 – 80 |
| Sunflower | seed (grain) | MS | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 90 – 100 |
| Triticale | germination | --- | a | a | d | d | d | d |
| grain | T | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
| Wheat | grain | T | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Wheat, semi-dwarf | germination | MT | 95 – 100 | 95 – 100 | 80 – 95 | 70 – 90 | 60 – 80 | 30 – 65 |
| grain | T | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | |
| Wheat, hard red spring | grain | MT | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 90 – 100 |
| Wheat, durum | germination | MT | 95 – 100 | 95 – 100 | 60 – 95 | 40 – 80 | 20 – 60 | 5 – 20 |
| grain | T | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 95 – 100 | |
1 See Crop File 4.03.044 for botanical name and comparison of salinity tolerance ratings.
2 General salinity tolerance rating for established crops:
S = sensitive
MS = moderately sensitive
MT = moderately tolerant
T = tolerant
3 refers to EC of soil water under flooded conditions
4 uses data for edible beans
"a" = germination percentage of most varieties not affected
"b" = germination of some varieties reduced
"c" = germination percentage of most varieties reduced
"d" = emergence delayed, but emergence percentage not reduced
"e" = emergence percentage reduced
¶ Table 1b. Salinity Tolerance: Grain, Fiber, and Sugar Crops |
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| Average root zone electrical conductivity measured in saturated paste soil extract (ECe, mmho/cm) | ||||||||
| Crop1 | Growth stage or harvest type | Rating2 | 7.0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 12.0 |
| Percent relative yield compared to equivalent, non-saline conditions | ||||||||
| Barley | germination | T | 85 – 90 | 85 – 90 | 80 – 85 | 70 – 80 | 65 – 70 | 60 – 65 |
| grain | T | 100 | 100 | 90 | 85 | 80 | 75 | |
| Beans, edible | germination | S | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| seed (grain) | S | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Canola | seed (grain) | T | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 95 | 85 |
| Corn | germination | S | b | b | c | c | c | --- |
| emergence | S | e | e | e | e | --- | --- | |
| seedling growth | MS | 30 – 40 | 20 – 30 | 10 – 20 | 0 – 10 | 0 | 0 | |
| grain | MS | 35 | 20 – 30 | 10 – 15 | 0 – 5 | 0 | 0 | |
| Cotton | seed cotton | T | 100 | 95 | 90 | 85 | 80 | 75 |
| Crambe | seed (grain) | MS | 65 | 60 | 50 – 60 | 45 – 50 | 40 – 45 | 30 – 40 |
| Flax | seed (grain) | MS | 35 | 20 – 30 | 10 – 15 | 0 – 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Guar | seed (grain) | T | 100 | 100 | 90 | 75 | 60 | 40 |
| Kenaf | stems | MT | 100 | 100 | 85 | 75 | 65 | 50 |
| Milllet, foxtail | grain | MS | 40 | 30 | 20 – 40 | 10 – 30 | 0 – 20 | 0 |
| Mungbean | seed (grain) | MT | 75 | 65 | 70 – 80 | 55 – 75 | 50 – 70 | 40 – 60 |
| Oats | grain | MT | 75 | 65 | 70 | 55 | 50 – 70 | 40 – 60 |
| Peanut | seed (grain) | MS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rice (paddy-grown) | grain3 | S | 50 | 35 | 25 – 30 | 10 – 20 | 0 – 10 | 0 |
| Rye | germination | --- | d | d | d | d | --- | --- |
| grain | T | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 90 | |
| Safflower | seed (grain) | MT | 75 | 65 | 70 | 55 | 50 – 70 | 40 – 60 |
| Sesame | seed (grain) | S | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sorghum | germination | MS | d | d | d | d | --- | --- |
| vegetative growth | MT | 90 | 85 | 85 | 80 | 75 | 75 – 80 | |
| grain | MT | 90 | 75 | 60 | 45 | 30 | 10 | |
| Soybeans | germination4 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| grain | MT | 55 | 35 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Sugarbeets | germination | --- | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| root yield | T | 100 | 90 | 85 | 80 | 75 | 65 | |
| Sugarcane | shoot yield | MS | 65 | 60 – 65 | 55 – 60 | 50 – 55 | 40 – 50 | 35 – 40 |
| Sunflower | seed (grain) | MS | 85 | 80 | 75 | 70 | 65 | 60 – 70 |
| Triticale | germination | --- | 90 | 90 | 90 | 80 | <85 | <85 |
| grain | T | 95 | 95 | 90 | 85 | 85 | 80 | |
| Wheat | grain | T | 90 | 85 | 75 | 70 | 60 | 55 |
| Wheat, semi-dwarf | germination | MT | 20 – 45 | 20 – 45 | 10 – 30 | 0 – 10 | 0 | 0 |
| grain | T | 100 | 100 | 100 | 95 | 90 | 85 | |
| Wheat, hard red spring | grain | MT | 85 | 75 | 70 | 60 | 50 | 45 – 50 |
| Wheat, durum | germination | MT | 5 – 20 | 5 – 20 | 5 – 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| grain | T | 95 – 100 | 90 – 95 | 85 – 90 | 80 – 85 | 75 – 85 | 75 – 80 | |
1 See Crop File 4.03.044 for botanical name and comparison of salinity tolerance ratings.
2 General salinity tolerance rating for established crops:
S = sensitive
MS = moderately sensitive
MT = moderately tolerant
T = tolerant
3 refers to EC of soil water under flooded conditions
4 uses data for edible beans
"a" = germination percentage of most varieties not affected
"b" = germination of some varieties reduced
"c" = germination percentage of most varieties reduced
"d" = emergence delayed, but emergence percentage not reduced
"e" = emergence percentage reduced
Note: Salt tolerance data is for established crops, unless noted. The "percent of relative yield" is the estimated yield of a crop grown at the given salinity compared to the yield of a crop grown under similar, but non-saline, conditions. This data compares results of total salinity only and does not consider effects of toxic ions, like chloride or boron. These data serve only as a guideline to relative tolerances among crops. Absolute tolerances vary, depending on climate, soil conditions, variety, and cultural practices.
The data applies to soils where chloride is the predominant anion. Soils with high gypsum (calcium sulfate) content will have an ECe of 1 to 3 mmho/cm higher than those where chloride is predominant. Plants grown on gypsiferous soils will tolerate a conductivity of about 2 mmho/cm higher than shown in the data tables, so percent relative yield percentages should be shifted two columns to the right.
¶ Table 1c. Salinity Tolerance: Grain, Fiber, and Sugar Crops |
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| Average root zone electrical conductivity measured in saturated paste soil extract (ECe, mmho/cm) | Relative yield factors 3 | |||||||
| Crop1 | Growth stage or harvest type | Rating2 | 13.0 | 14.0 | 15.0 | Threshold salinity, ECe (ThS) | ||
| Percent relative yield compared to equivalent, non-saline conditions | Percent yield reduction (%YR) | |||||||
| Barley | germination | T | 50 – 55 | 40 – 45 | 30 – 35 | --- | --- |
|
| grain | T | 70 – 80 | 65 – 75 | 60 – 70 | 8.0 | 5.0 | ||
| Beans, edible | germination | S | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | --- | |
| seed (grain) | S | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 19 | ||
| Canola | seed (grain) | T | 70 – 80 | 55 – 65 | 45 – 50 | 11.0 | 13.0 | |
| Corn | germination | S | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | --- | |
| emergence | S | 0\t | 0 | 0 | --- | --- | ||
| seedling growth | MS | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | --- | ||
| grain | MS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.7 | 12 | ||
| Cotton | seed cotton | T | 70 – 75 | 65 – 70 | 60 – 65 | 7.7 | 5.2 | |
| Crambe | seed (grain) | MS | 25 – 30 | 20 – 25 | 10 – 20 | 2.0 | 6.5 | |
| Flax | seed (grain) | MS | 1.7 | 12 | ||||
| Guar | seed (grain) | T | 25 – 35 | 5 – 15 | 0 | 8.8 | 17 | |
| Kenaf | stems | MT | 40 – 45 | 30 – 35 | 15 – 25 | 8.1 | 11.6 | |
| Milllet, foxtail | grain | MS | 0 | 0 | 0 | estimated | ||
| Mungbean | seed (grain) | MT | 35 – 55 | 30 – 50 | 20 – 40 | estimated | ||
| Oats | grain | MT | 35 – 55 | 30 – 50 | 20 – 40 | estimated | ||
| Peanut | seed (grain) | MS | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.2 | 29 | |
| Rice (paddy-grown) | grain3 | S | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.0 | 12 | |
| Rye | germination | --- | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | --- | |
| grain | T | 80 – 85 | 70 – 75 | 60 – 65 | 11.4 | 10.8 | ||
| Safflower | seed (grain) | MT | 35 – 55 | 30 – 50 | 20 – 40 | estimated | ||
| Sesame | seed (grain) | S | 0 | 0 | 0 | estimated | ||
| Sorghum | germination | MS | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | --- | |
| vegetative growth | MT | 70 – 80 | 65 – 75 | 65 – 70 | 4.8 | 3.2 | ||
| grain | MT | 0 – 5 | 0 | 0 | 6.8 | 16 | ||
| Soybeans | germination4 | --- | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | --- | |
| grain | MT | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.0 | 20 | ||
| Sugarbeets | germination | --- | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | --- | |
| root yield | T | 60 – 70 | 55 – 60 | 50 – 55 | 7.0 | 5.9 | ||
| Sugarcane | shoot yield | MS | 30 – 35 | 25 – 30 | 20 – 25 | 1.7 | 5.9 | |
| Sunflower | seed (grain) | MS | 55 – 65 | 50 – 60 | 45 – 55 | 4.8 | 5.0 | |
| Triticale | germination | --- | <85 | <85 | <85 | --- | --- | |
| grain | T | 80 – 85 | 75 – 85 | 75 – 80 | 6.1 | 2.5 | ||
| Wheat | grain | T | 45 – 55 | 40 – 45 | 35 – 40 | 6.0 | 7.1 | |
| Wheat, semi-dwarf | germination | MT | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | --- | |
| grain | T | 85 – 90 | 80 – 90 | 75 – 85 | 8.6 | 3.0 | ||
| Wheat, hard red spring | grain | MT | 35 – 40 | 25 – 30 | 20 – 25 | 5.5 | 8.3 | |
| Wheat, durum | germination | MT | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | --- | |
| grain | T | 70 – 75 | 65 – 75 | 60 – 70 | 5.9 | 3.8 | ||
1 See Crop File 4.03.044 for botanical name and comparison of salinity tolerance ratings
2 General salinity tolerance rating: S = sensitive, MS = moderately sensitive, MT = moderately tolerant, T = tolerant
3 Relative yield ranges calculated using this formula: %RY = 100 - [(ECe - ThS) * %YR], where:
%RY = percent yield under existing salinity level, compared to equivalent, non-saline conditions
ECe = average root zone salinity
ThS = threshold salinity value where yield begins to decline
%YR = percent yield reduction for each unit of increased conductivity
Tanji, K.K., ed. 1990. "Chap. 13, Crop Salt Tolerance" in Agricultural Salinity Assessment and Management. ASCE Mauals and Reports on Engineering Practice No. 71. American Society of Civil Engineers, New York. pg. 262-304
Maas, E.V. 1984. "Crop tolerance" in California Agriculture. Agri. Expt. Station Univ. of Calif., Berkely, Calif. Vol. 38:20-21.
Bresler, E., B.L. McNeal, and D.L. Carter. 1982. Saline and sodic soils. Springer Verlag, New York. pp. 173-179.
Richards, L.A. (ed). 1954. Diagnosis and improvement of saline and alkali soils. USDA Agr. Handbook 60. pp. 65-67