Drought Tip 92-19 Water Quality Guidelines for Trees and Vines Agricultural soils and irrigation water contain varying amounts and types of salts, but a soil is not considered saline unless the concentration of salts in the crop rootzone is high enough to reduce crop growth and yield. Tree and vine crops are generally more sensitive than field crops to salinity, chloride, sodium, and boron.
Salinity affects tree and vine performance in two ways.
First, the plants must acclimate themsoelves to a saline environment in order for water to become available. This process requires energy the plant normally uses for growth and production. Second, chloride, sodium, and boron can reduce yields because of speicifi ion toxicity. Sensitive trees and vines can accumulate these elements in leaves, causing leaf burn or in limbs or new shoots affecting the yield potential the next season. The two processes can operate simultaneously and can reduce crop yield.