Plant sensitivity to salt varies greatly among species and among individuals of the same species. Many ornamentals exhibit a very high degree of tolerance while others, particularly shallow-rooted species and evergreens, are readily injured (Figure 2). Injury is dependent upon the... Overview. Injury due to salt is most common on landscape plants growing adjacent to highways, streets, sidewalks, and driveways that are regularly salted during the winter for ice control. Most of the salt used for deicing purposes is sodium chloride, ordinary rock salt, or table salt. Plant Physiology and SaltInjury – Uncover the Surprising Effects SaltInjury in Plants: Effects on Growth & Photosynthesis Explained What Happens toPlants Under Salt Stress? Key PointsRock salt contains high sodium and chloride levels, making it especially harmful toplants.Plantsalt-tolerant varieties near roads, sidewalks, and driveways for better long-term resilience. SaltInjurytoPlants. Much to many homeowners' dismay, wind driven salt spray from road trucks can travel up to 150 feet (46 m.). This salt can cause extreme damage and saltinjurytoplants as well, especially pine spruce and fir. De-icing salts damage plants in several ways—through direct contact of salt solutions with plant foliage and through chemical and physical modification of the soil. Although damage occurs on a broad range of plants, plants under stress are particularly sensitive to injury. Plant Materials for Salt-Affected Sites. in the Northern Great Plains. Dwight Tober, Plant Materials Specialist; Wayne Duckwitz, Plant Materials Center Manager; and Steven Sieler, State Soil Liaison; USDA, NRCS, Bismarck, North Dakota. Evergreens are particularly vulnerable to salt and snow injury.Saltinjuresplants in two ways. It soaks into the soil with melting snow and is taken up by plant roots. It also becomes airborne, especially during dry winters, and is blown onto plants. Indications of soil saltinjury I Most damage occurs within 30 feet of. road and decreases with distances from road. I Plants are severely injured in poorly drained soils or where runoff from salt-laden snow collects. Salt is only one of numerous environmental and plant factors which cause injury or death of roadside vegetation. Trees and shrubs which have been injured by salt spray produce very characterisitc symp-toms. [Studies on the saltinjury in wheat plant. I. The influence of NaCl solutions upon the germination and the growth of seedling]. [In Japanese; Eng. sum.].[Studies on the saltinjuryto crops. IX. Effect of sodium chloride on the root development of the young wheat plant]. Cucurbit PlantSaltInjury occurs because of the moderate sensitive to salinity. Excess salts may damage roots resulting in stunted plants with reduced yields. Affected plants often appear darker green than normal in the early stages of saltinjury. Key points. Trees and shrubs planted along roadways and sidewalks can be injured by deicing salts and road spray. Over application of water soluble fertilizers which contain salts can burn or injureplants. Salts draw water out of roots, leaves, and needles, killing cells and injuringplants. The Impact of Salts on Plants and How to Reduce PlantInjury from Winter Salt Applications. Across the country, more than 22 million tons of road salt is used every year.Common Symptoms of SaltInjury. Damage mostly on the side of the plant facing the road or sidewalk.
