Dry Bean Response to Salinity in Southern Manitoba

Abstract

Expansion of dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) production into saline soil areas of Manitoba has led to increased concern regarding its yield and quality response to soil salinity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of salinity on dry bean productivity in southern Manitoba, including the application of a salt tolerance model for dry bean crops. Using a coulter‐based sensor (Veris 3100, Veris Technologies, Salina, KS) to measure apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa), surveys of dry bean fields with five levels of soil salinity conditions (very low to very high salinity zones) were created for four sites over 2 yr. High values of ECa were associated with high values of soil saturation extract electrical conductivity (ECe). Across all site years, average root‐zone salinity (ECe) values ranged from 0.77 to 11.16 dS m−1 The lowest salinity zones resulted in greater crop biomass, grain yield, harvested seed weight, and grain number, and tended to have greater plant stand densities and grain protein content than the highest salinity zones. A 50% decrease in relative crop yield was caused by ECe values between 4.88 and 8.35 dS m−1 ECa surveys were found to be an excellent tool for assessing the relative soil salinity status of study fields.