Salinity Index (Continued)
In the previous condition where salts are bound up and go into solution as we add moisture, salinity concentration will either stay close to the
same or will rise as those salts go into solution…depending on how many salts are bound up and the nature of those salts. If salts are not present
and bound up in the turf and soil system, then as we add more moisture, EC will not rise…and thus, the concentration of EC (salinity index) will
fall. These two conditions tell us a lot about a turf system. It can be used to measure residual salinity for nutritional delivery. It can be used to
understand the potential deterioration of rootzone structure due to bound up salts that swell when wet. These swollen salts blow up like a
balloon and because they are wedged in soil structure, they can destroy soil structure as they are put into solution or wet just enough.
If we lower moisture and find our salinity concentration is climbing, than the nature of those salts is highly residual and they are hanging around
without going into precipitation. Since salts all react differently than each other, the POGO Turf and Soil analysis will be of great value in this
condition so that you can understand what salts are influencing your EC and what you can change in your practices to balance your system better.
Ideally, a salinity index of 0.80 to 1.20 indicates the finest balance of salts and moisture. Falling below this range indicates our salinity exchange
(nutrient exchange) is light and lacking. Rising above this level indicates we have many salts persistent in our system and we need to either
improve our cultural practices to move those salts out of the system, change our nutrient inputs to carry away ‘strong’ detrimental salts like
sodium and chloride and add more beneficial ones that may not impact total EC similarly or simply adjust our moisture conditions to put things
into better balance.
There is an ideal balance for every system. Salinity Index is simply a way to offer yet another insight to your turfgrass conditions and what you can
do about it to improve your conditions.
