Salt Injury

Excessive soluble salts

Symptoms:
Excess salinity due to poor water quality or improper fertility can stunt plants and in severe cases, kill them. Plants affected by high salt concentrations often appear dark green in the early stages, but rapidly develop marginal yellowing and necrosis of older leaves.

Control:
Careful attention to fertilization and watering is important in greenhouse and container grown crops. Watering container grown plants to runoff will prevent salt buildup. Little can be done in a field situation where water quality is poor; some beneficial effects of planting on the sides of beds (as opposed to the top or center where the salt tends to build up because of the wicking effect) have been reported.

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