Should we be concerned about red raspberry responses to low and moderate levels of Na and Cl over extended periods of time?

The demand for fresh red raspberries to be available all year round continues to increase worldwide.
Techniques to adapt environments and methods in order to stimulate harvest out of the traditional seasons to meet this demand have helped spread their production into areas of high evaporation and low summer rainfall.
Some of these areas have varying levels of sodium and chloride in the water supply used for irrigation.
Climate change may be expected to lead to increased salinity in new regions in some years.
The literature documents some negative effects of sodium and chloride on red raspberries but only in experiments with moderate and high levels of both elements over short periods.
Damage may also arise from longer periods of exposure at lower levels.
Comparisons of elemental content of sodium and chlorine in leaves and roots of plantations of different ages were measured on three different raspberry farms with water sources of different levels of Na and Cl varying within the season.
The recorded values were compared with those recorded in the short term trials and with the current performances.
Sodium build up was far lower and chloride higher.
Tip leaf analysis was identified as the practical and sensitive measure of chlorine.
Two further phases are planned.
Phase 2, continuing chlorine leaf measurements over more farms and water sources over several years has started.
Phase 3, to start in January 2015, will add chlorine at different levels to field rows, measure yield and fruit quality responses, and explore possible remedies.

XXIX International Horticultural Congress on Horticulture: Sustaining Lives, Livelihoods and Landscapes (IHC2014): II International Berry Fruit Symposium: Interactions! Local and Global Berry Research and Innovation

T.J. Sobey

salinity, sodium, chloride

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1117.42