| dc.description.abstract | Pecans, along with Almonds and
Walnuts, are among the salt sensitive tree crops
currently grown under irrigation. Yet, many
growers are not convinced that salts are
affecting yields, probably because symptoms of
salt-affected trees are difficult to differentiate
from those of water-stressed trees.
Salt problems usually appear when
salinity of water used for irrigation exceeds
about 500 mg L-1, and the orchard consists of
clayey soils or has a shallow water table.
Pecans are especially sensitive to sodium (Na)
and chloride (Cl) ions (Miyamoto, et. al., 1985).
In other words, salt damage tends to be greater
when irrigated with Na-dominated water than
with gypsum or Ca-rich water. Salt problems
are not wide-spread, but are common in areas
irrigated with salty ground water or salty
irrigation returnflow.
Recent drought in the Southwest and northern Mexico has also accentuated salt
problems as the supply of the fresh project water
has dwindled. The shortfall is usually
supplemented with ground water which may
have elevated salinity. Salt problems also
appear when soil and irrigation management
practices are out of order.
This short article outlines ways to
diagnose and manage salt problems. Readers
who are interested in technical details should
refer to separate publications listed at the end of
this article. | en |
