Response of corn and soybeans to simulated saline aerosol drift from brackish water cooling towers

Journal Article · Thu Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · J. Environ. Qual.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1981.00472425001000040025x· OSTI ID:5761165

Mulchi, C L; Armbruster, J A

Field studies were conducted on corn (Zea mays L.) and soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) for 8 weeks during each summer from 1973 to 1977 to acquire information on the response of these crops to saline aerosol deposition from brackish water cooling towers. The studies involved two sources of Chalk Point, Md.) and various salt deposition rates (0.97-22.24 kg ha/sup -1/ week/sup -1/). Soybeans exhibited greater sensitivity than corn to simulated saline aerosol drift early in their growth cycle, but corn yields were impacted more than soybean yields from the foliar salt treatments. Vegetative symptoms of salt injury on corn were progressively more pronounced as the plants matured than was the case with soybeans. Polynomial regression analyses of yields vs. salt deposition rates produced linear relationships for both crops. Corn yields were described by the relationship Y/sub c/ = 97.9-1.94X and soybean yields by the relationship Y/sub sb/ = 103.5-1.73X, where X equaled the rate of salt deposition, and yields (Y) were expressed as percent of nontreated controls. Changes in leaf Cl levels in corn in response to foliar-applied salts were described by the relationship Y = 0.20 + 0.07X - 0.001X/sup 2/, and leaf Na contents by the relationship Y = 0.099 + 0.024X. Changes in leaf Cl levels in soybeans in response to foliar-applied salts were described by the relationship Y = 0.059 + 0.073X + 0.004X/sup 2/ - 0.0004X/sup 3/, and leaf Na levels by the relationship Y = 0.086 + 0.011X + 0.0006X/sup 2/, where X equaled the salt deposition rate (kg ha/sup -1/ week/sup -1/) and Y equaled the element contents (%). In an effort to explore methods for assessing the levels of crop yield reductions in areas where salt deposition is suspected but no control plants are possible, corn yields were described by the relationship Y/sub c/ = 105 - 35.5X/sub 1/ and Y/sub c/ = 102 - 63.7X/sub 2/, where Y/sub c/ equaled the percent of nontreated controls, and X/sub 1/ and X/sub 2/ equaled the Cl and Na contents (%), respectively.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Maryland, College Park
• OSTI ID: 5761165
• Journal Information: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Environ. Qual.; (United States) Vol. 10:4; ISSN JEVQA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560303* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Plants-- (-1987)
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
AEROSOLS
AIR POLLUTION
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
CEREALS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
COLLOIDS
COOLING TOWERS
DISPERSIONS
FOOD
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
GROWTH
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
MAIZE
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
PLANTS
POLLUTION
PRODUCTION
SALTS
SODIUM CHLORIDES
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SOLS
SOYBEANS
TOWERS
VEGETABLES