Study Continues on the Growth of Salt-tolerant Plants

The west side of California?EUR??,,????'???s San Joaquin Valley, Calif. is an agriculturally rich area. However, soil salinity and drainage problems are common. West-side soils tend to be saline rich?EUR??,,????'??+a problem that?EUR??,,????'???s exacerbated by slowly permeable soils and a high water table, which can prevent the successful leaching of salts. In an effort to find ways of disposing of the excess salt, Fresno State researcher Sharon Benes, assistant professor, Department of Plant Science, California State University, Fresno, is studying the saline water use of salt grass and other halophytes, which are plants that are native to more saline conditions. Some plants are being tested with irrigation water up to two-thirds the salt content of seawater.

For updates log on to www.cati.csufresno.edu.