How does Salt Damage Plants?
Salt becomes toxic to plants when it dissolves in water, and the sodium and chloride ions separate. Sodium ions in the salt replace the needed nutrients phosphorus and potassium in the soil, making them unavailable to the plant. Have you ever tried to get table salt out of a wet shaker? Then you know salt absorbs water. Rock salt does the exact thing in the soil, absorbing the water that would normally be available to roots, causing root dehydration, changing root physiology, and causing additional plant stress. Meanwhile, chloride ions are absorbed by the roots, transported to the leaves, and accumulate there interfering with photosynthesis by impacting chlorophyll production. Salt doesn’t only affect the roots: When sprayed onto plants by passing vehicles, salt damages plant cells, including buds and small twigs, thereby reducing cold hardiness and leaving tissue more susceptible to freezing damage. How to Diagnose Salt Damage In examining plants to determine if salt is playing role
