Location: Agricultural Water Efficiency and Salinity Research Unit
Project Number: 2036-61000-018-008-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 15, 2015
End Date: Sep 14, 2020
Objective:
To develop improved management practices for use of saline water in conjunction with other abiotic stresses including drought and toxic ions and to identify plants suitable for such systems. Studies will be conducted on the response of target plants (high value and salt sensitive) to combined stresses including salinity, drought, nutrition, boron and elevated temperature and the long term impacts on soil properties. To develop management strategies for use of treated municipal waste waters and other degraded waters for high value crops in the presence of other abiotic stresses. To incorporate this information into existing plant salinity models for improved prediction of plant and soil systems to combined stresses.
Approach:
Conduct laboratory, greenhouse and outdoor field studies with various crops and soils under conditions of salt and other abiotic stresses. We will obtain plant and soil data necessary to evaluate proposed management options such as use of fresh water during sensitive plant growth stages and maintaining good soil physical properties via constant amendment of the water vs. periodic soil reclamation. We will evaluate the suitability of a number of plants, including high value vegetable crops and grapes and measure soil physical characteristics as a result of using degraded waters. This data will be used to develop improved response functions for direct management use as well as for incorporation into user friendly management computer models.
