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Practical Use of Soil Analysis Results

Table 3.4.4 Salinity Ratings for Alberta soils in Relation to Electrical Conductivity Measurements

Soil Depth

Salinity Classifications and EC Measurements (dS/m)

Non-Saline

Weakly Saline

Moderately Saline

Strongly Saline

Very Strongly Saline

0–60 cm (0–2 ft) < 2 2–4 4–8 8–16 > 16

60–120 cm (2–4 ft) < 4 4–8 8–16 16–24 > 24

Source: Kryzanowski et al. 1988

Crops exhibit a range of tolerance to salt levels in the soil (Table 3.4.5). In general, grass forages tend to have a higher salinity tolerance than field crops.

Table 3.4.5 Salt Tolerance of Selected Crops

EC (dS/m) (Salt Tolerance)

Field Crops Forages Vegetables

20 (Very high)

Beardless wildrye, Fulks altai grass, Levonns alkaligrass, Alkali sucatan 16 (High)

Kochia Sugar beet

Altai wildrye, Tall wheatgrass, Russian wildrye, Slender wheat grass

8

6-row barley, Safflower, Sunflower, 2-row barley, Fall rye, Winter wheat, Spring wheat

Birdsfoot trefoil Sweetclover Alfalfa Bromegrass

Garden beets, Asparagus,

Spinach

Moderate Oats, Yellow mustard

Crested wheatgrass, Intermediate

wheatgrass

Tomatoes, Broccoli Meadow fescue, Flax, Canola Reed canary grass Cabbage 4 Corn Sweet corn, Potatoes Low Timothy, Peas, Field beans

White dutch clover, Alsike clover,

Red clover

Carrots, Onions, Strawberries,

Peas, Beans