Crop Salt Tolerance—Current Assessment

An extensive literature review of all available salt tolerance data was undertaken to evaluate the current status of our knowledge of the salt tolerance of agricultural crops. In general, crops tolerate salinity up to a threshold level above which yields decrease approximately linearly as salt concentrations increase. Our best estimate of the threshold salinity level and yield decrease per unit salinity increase is presented for a large number of agricultural crops. The methods of measuring appropriate salinity and plant parameters to obtain meaningful salt tolerance data and the many plant, soil, water, and environmental factors influencing the plant’s ability to tolerate salt are examined.