Salinity phytotoxicity

The potato is a highly salt susceptible crop and damage due to excessive salinity occurs in certain warm regions, where crops are irrigated with saline water and/or where high temperatures cause major evaporation and lead to the presence of high quantities of mineral salts on the soil’s surface. Excessive salinity, i.e. concentration of salts, in irrigation water or in the soil may be phytotoxic for some crops such as the potato and so reduces the plant’s growth and yield (photo 1).