Advances in Chloride Nutrition of Plants

Guohua Xu*, Hillel Magen, Jorge Tarchitzky, Uzi Kafkafi

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

250 Scopus citations

Abstract

The dependence of modern agriculture on irrigation and chemical fertilization emphasizes the problem of chloride accumulation in soils and its adverse effect on plants rather than on its deficiency. This review evaluates chloride behavior in the soil environment and its functions in plants as an essential nutrient, as a disease suppressor, and as an osmoticum in plant cells. The management practice of chloride content in the root zone of irrigated agricultural soil is reviewed. Both the positive and the negative effects of chloride on plant growth and marketable quality under normal and particularly under saline conditions are discussed. Some mechanisms of crop requirement and tolerance to chloride are also evaluated. The close relationship between potassium and chloride in specific plant cells is described. Potassium and nitrate roles in increasing plant tolerance to salinity and in reducing the hazard of using saline water are discussed on the cell and whole plant levels. Chloride influence on reducing the nitrification rate of ammonium fertilizers in the soils is discussed in relation to rice field management. The practical applications of irrigation methods to prevent excessive chloride accumulation in the root zone are also discussed.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)97-110,110A,110B,111-150
JournalAdvances in Agronomy
Volume68
Issue numberC
DOIs
StatePublished - 1999

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