Causes, Effects, and Management of Salinity Problems in Pecan Production in North Mexico

Abstract

Salinity and sodicity are critical problems for arid and semi-arid pecan (Carya illinoensis) producing regions of northern Mexico, causing decreases in yield and quality of the pecan nut. Wells are sources of irrigation water, but the quality is below the standards for agricultural use as it is high in salt content, and it gradually salinizes soils. These saline soils compromise the profitability of pecan production. The objective of this chapter is to provide insight into the causes, effects, and management of saline soils, focusing on ecological and economical solutions for the pecan orchards of northern Mexico.

Salinity effects on water potential and the normalized difference vegetation index in four species of a saline semi-arid ecosystem

“…Comparison of the maps of salinity obtained in 1996 and 2001 shows that the surface mapped as saline in the Sonora region in 2001 was 122,754 ha, while in 1996 it was 120,778 ha ( Pulido & González, 2010 ). The main causes for increased salinity have included the high doses of fertilizer applied to the established crops, the felling of the existing species in the periphery of crop fields that could have taken up the residual fertilizers applied to the crops, and the elimination of harvest wastes that otherwise could serve as organic matter and prevent evaporative water losses and salt concentration in the soil ( Ojeda-Barrios et al, 2021 ). The maintenance and reforestation of halophytes and other plant species that show moderate tolerance to salinity stress conditions could be one key to slowing the rate of soil salinization in the Sonora region.…”