Saline Reclamation Solutions

There are over 5.5 million acres of severely salt affected land in Western Canada. When this saline land is in annual crop production, crop yields are often so low that the cost of seed, fertilizer and herbicides are not even covered. Money is lost not made.

Establishing salt tolerant forages on saline soils not only stops the wasting of inputs, it can also result in marginal soils producing valuable feed.

“Watching the yield monitor on your combine at harvest gives you a good idea as to the effect of salinity on crop yields”

As Dave Hoffer farm boss at New Rockport Colony says.

“If salinity is reducing yield then you are much further ahead to square off those areas, seed them down to salt tolerant forages like NewHY and stop losing money”

When choosing a forage mixture to grow in salt affected areas;

1. Select a forage mixture that will grow in the salt, soil and moisture conditions present in your field.


2. Select a mixture that will meet the needs you have for forage. Is the forage going to be used for hay, pasture, or do you just want it to prevent the movement of weeds into the surrounding land and minimize the spread of salinity.

Relative Tolerance of Forages to Salinity and Flooding;

Perennial Forages For Saline, Flooded and Peat Soils
(Based on Test Results from Canada Salt Tolerance Labs at Swift Current)

Forage Variety	Almost Always		Frequently		Infrequently		Rarely		Tolerates Flooding 2-5 weeks
	PASTURE	HAY	PASTURE	HAY	PASTURE	HAY	PASTURE	HAY
AC Saltlander Green Wheatgrass	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Tall Wheatgrass		X		X		X		X	X
NewHy Hybrid Wheatgrass			X	X	X	X	X	X
Russian Wild Rye			X		X		X
Slender Wheatgrass				X		X		X
Intermediate Wheatgrass				X		X		X
Tall Fescue			X	X	X	X	X	X	X
Smooth Bromegrass				X		X		X
Awned Wheatgrass					X		X
Creeping Foxtail					X	X	X	X	X
Northern Wheatgrass					X	X	X	X
Western Wheatgrass					X		X
Orchard Grass					X		X
Alfalfa					X	X	X	X
Timothy						X		X	X

1. Approximate Salinity Rating as Compared with Visual Ratings:
• Rarely white 0-2 dS/m2
• Infrequently white 2-5 dS/m2
• Frequently white 5-8 dS/m2
• Almost Always white >8 dS/m2

(Adapted from: “Revegetation of Saline Soils Using Salt Tolerant Grasses” Sask Forage Council. Acknowledgement given to Saskatchewan Forage Council, Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.)

Credit: Proven Seeds