Abstract:
The paper represents a synthesis of the research carried out by the Soil Science
Department within the Agronomical University of Iasi concerning the tolerance of cultivated
plants to soil salinity in non-irrigated agriculture. Salt tolerance was established by analysing
the decrease in crop yield for each kind of plants, with the increase of soil salinity in layer
roots. The experiments were conducted on 22 grass species and numerous hybrids, 28 grape
cultivars and seven fruit-tree species. In each case, the following tolerance coefficients were
established: 1. The sensitivity threshold for an excess of soluble salts, Cl-, SO4
2-, pH level; 2.
The plant-drying threshold; 3. The tolerance interval; 4. The relative agronomical tolerance;
5. The yield decrease (in %) for a total salt increase unit (10 mg ss). Finally, the species were
grouped in four categories depending on the coefficients of tolerance to soil salinity, as
follows: a) tolerant; b) moderately tolerant; c) moderately sensitive and d) very sensitive (table
2 and 4).
