Comparing Canola, Field Pea, Dry Bean, and Durum Wheat Crops Grown in Saline Media

Abstract

can reduce losses by decreasing summer fallow frequency, reverting to hay crops, or growing a more salt-Farmers have requested comparative information on the salt tolertolerant grain crop such as barley (Brown et al., 1982).ance of the field crops they seek to grow as alternatives to wheat. In response, a study was conducted in the Salt Tolerance TestingIn the past, producers commonly aimed to eventually Laboratory at Swift Current, SK, to compare the productivity of canola return to producing wheat following any of these reme-(Brassica napus cv. Cyclone), field pea (Pisum sativum cv. green-seed dial practices. Radley and cv. yellow-seed Carneval), and pinto dry bean (Phaseolus Recently, thin cost-return margins for wheat crops vulgaris cv. Othello) crops to that of a durum wheat (Triticum turhave forced many growers to consider producing green gidum cv. Kyle) crop grown in saline media. Test solutions were or yellow pea, dry bean, canola (Brassica spp.), and salinized prior to seeding by adding NaCl and CaCl 2 (1:1 by mass) to other crops as alternatives to wheat or growing them hydroponic nutrients, resulting in three levels of root-zone salinity: in rotation with wheat. Growers of these alternative near zero, moderate, and severe [solution electrical conductivities of crops have asked for better information pertaining to 1.2 (nutrients only), 11.2, and 24.9 dS m Ϫ1 , respectively]. Eight resalt tolerance. They seek to directly compare inherent sponse variables evaluated crop performance: time from seeding to initial emergence, emergence rate, final emergence and survival, plant tolerances to root-zone salinity among wheat crops and height, aboveground biomass, grain yield, relative grain yield, and their alternatives. grain yield per plant. The durum wheat emerged and survived moder-Results from crop salt tolerance tests conducted ate and severe salinity better than any of the alternative crops. The worldwide between 1950 and 1975 were reviewed by wheat crop also produced more biomass and grain under moderately Maas and Hoffman (1977). These reviewers rated irsaline conditions than produced by the pea and the bean crops, but rigated wheat crops as moderately tolerant. Francois not the canola. Under severe salinity, neither the field peas nor the et al. (1986) field-tested a semidwarf bread wheat crop dry bean produced any grain, but the wheat and the canola crops (T. aestivum cv. Probred) and that from two durum managed to yield 0.4 and 20.1% of their respective productivity in wheats (T. turgidum cv. 1000D & Aldura) grown in nonsaline rooting media. The combined salt tolerance ranking in asan irrigated silty clay soil. On the basis of salinization cending order for the crop cultivars grown in both saline rooting media was: Othello ϭ Carneval Ͻ Radley Ͻ Kyle Ͻ Cyclone.

Wheat(Triticum aestivumL.) growth and yield response to saline irrigation water under controlled conditions

“…This trend was caused by the accumulated reduction obtained for all yield components (Figure 3) in response to an increase in EC i . This is supported by the findings of Singh et al (1992), Steppuhn et al (2001) and Saqib et al (2004a). The yield components of wheat were significantly reduced at maturity at an EC i of 450 mS m -1 for the number of ears and 100 seed mass, but seed mass ear -1 was only significantly reduced at an EC i of 600 mS m -1 .…”

Response of seeds and pollen of Onobrychis viciifolia and Onobrychis oxyodonta var. armena to NaCl stress

“…Similar findings have been reported in Bothriochloa persuta L., Dichanthium annulatum and Panicum antidotale under salinity (Akhtar and Hussain, 2008). The results are in line with the findings of Rehman et al (2008) in wheat, Steppuhn et al (2001) in canola, field bean, dry bean and drum wheat and Li (2008) in Limonium sinense, Sorghum sudanense and soybean.…”

Subsoil constraints in Vertosols: crop water use, nutrient concentration, and grain yields of bread wheat, durum wheat, barley, chickpea, and canola

“…Canola has been suggested as tolerant to salinity (Francois 1994), although it is moderately sensitive to salinity during emergence (Steppuhn et al 2001). Barley is generally regarded as more salt-tolerant than bread wheat (Mass and Hoffman 1977).…”