Response of cotton, alfalfa, and cantaloupe to foliar-deposited salt in an arid environment. [Gossypium hirsumtum L. ; Medicago sativa L. ; Cucumis melo L]
The cooling towers at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station (PVNGS), located 80 km west of Phoenix, AZ, will release as estimated 2.1 Mg/d of particulates (primarily salts) into the atmosphere when the station is in full operation. The saline drift will disperse and settle onto agricultural fields surrounding the station. Field studies were conducted in 1983 to investigate the influence of foliar-applied saline aerosol on crop growth, foliar injury, and tissue elemental concentration on cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), alfalfa (medicago sativa L.), and cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L.) in an arid environment. The treatment aerosol solutions simulated treated wastewater effluent and included all essential plant nutrients and other elements, including trace concentrations of heavy metals. The treatments included unsprayed plots, and plots sprayed with salt solutions at 0 (distilled water), 8, 83, and 415 kg/(ha yr). The alfalfa received an additional 829 kg/(ha yr) treatment. The species were evaluated in separate experiments on Mohave clay loam and Sonoita sandy loam soils (Typic Haplargid) near Marana, AZ. Cotton treated with 415 kg/(ha yr) had significantly less chlorosis and tended to be slightly taller than the cotton in the unsprayed plots. The alfalfa treated at a rate of 829 kg/(ha yr) showed significantly more leaf margin necrosis than did the unsprayed alfalfa. In the cantaloupe, there were no visually apparent differences among salt treatments. Hand-harvested cotton plots had a significant reduction is seed cotton yield at the 415 kg/(ha yr) treatment. A similar though nonsignificant, trend towards reduced yield with increased salt treatment was observed in machine-harvested cotton plots.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Arizona, Tucson
- OSTI ID:
- 5940637
- Journal Information:
- J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Vol. 16:3
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Light-dependent emission of hydrogen sulfide from plants
Ozone damage detection in cantaloupe plants
Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
PLANTS
INJURIES
PRODUCTIVITY
SODIUM CHLORIDES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
ARID LANDS
CHLOROSIS
COOLING TOWERS
FIELD TESTS
NECROSIS
PARTICULATES
SALINITY
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
MASS TRANSFER
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
PARTICLES
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
POLLUTION
POWER PLANTS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SOLS
TESTING
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
TOWERS
053000* - Nuclear Fuels- Environmental Aspects
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology