4 ms·

Are there any long-term consequences to dumping salt onto the sand? Does it accumulate, or do the deserts shift enough in the wind that it's not a problem?

mlinksva 8y ago
Other obvious question given "started growing the crop in diluted sea-water" is what is the ratio? Combining the two, does the ratio increase over time due to salt accumulation?
- rini17 8y ago
  As per [1] there's GMO rice which tolerates 12-15 grams of salt per liter. Seawater (depends on place) is about twice as salty. Salt accumulation is an issue that needs to be taken care of even with normal irrigation. [1] https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/08/18/as-sea-levels-rise-gmo-salt-tolerant-crops-could-address-urgent-need/ https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/08/18/as-sea-levels-...
mabbo 8y ago
Are they really just dumping it? Rice paddies are usually submerged entirely. If sea water is acceptable to these plants, one could conceivably just have a canal from the ocean feeding water in (and out), with some minor dams to handle tides. Less energy used than pumping and deals with the problem of salts left behind from evaporation.
- joelthelion 8y ago
  Won't water evaporate and salt deposit, like in a salt pond?
  - mc32 8y ago
    Tidal mudflats don't seem to accumulate salt in the same way evaporative salt ponds do, since the water is not trapped allowing for concentration. So maybe something where tidal water is allowed to flush out overly saline water would work?
    - ris 8y ago
      But wouldn't that also flush out all the nutrients and nitrogen the rice needs to grow too?
      - krageon 8y ago
        I think on hot days you are supposed to "flush" the rice fields with fresh (cooler) water anyway. The runoff then goes back to wherever (a river or in this case maybe the ocean). Assuming that is true, I imagine that means any relevant nutrients are not flushed out by this process.
restalis 8y ago
Yes, we risk turning that wasteland into a desert! /s Considering the crop's nature, we probably have to assume that it won't be used sand for maintaining rice puddles but rather clay or something which can hold water. For higher concentrations of salt partial desalination can be employed. AFAIK, it's only expensive to desalinate if you want drinking water levels, otherwise it's just some filtering. Also, we can expect continuous work on those varieties of salty water rice to eventually be able to support lower and lower desalination maintenance.

mlinksva 8y ago

Other obvious question given "started growing the crop in diluted sea-water" is what is the ratio? Combining the two, does the ratio increase over time due to salt accumulation?

rini17 8y ago
As per [1] there's GMO rice which tolerates 12-15 grams of salt per liter. Seawater (depends on place) is about twice as salty. Salt accumulation is an issue that needs to be taken care of even with normal irrigation. [1] https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/08/18/as-sea-levels-rise-gmo-salt-tolerant-crops-could-address-urgent-need/ https://geneticliteracyproject.org/2015/08/18/as-sea-levels-...

mabbo 8y ago

Are they really just dumping it? Rice paddies are usually submerged entirely. If sea water is acceptable to these plants, one could conceivably just have a canal from the ocean feeding water in (and out), with some minor dams to handle tides. Less energy used than pumping and deals with the problem of salts left behind from evaporation.

joelthelion 8y ago
Won't water evaporate and salt deposit, like in a salt pond?
- mc32 8y ago
  Tidal mudflats don't seem to accumulate salt in the same way evaporative salt ponds do, since the water is not trapped allowing for concentration. So maybe something where tidal water is allowed to flush out overly saline water would work?
  - ris 8y ago
    But wouldn't that also flush out all the nutrients and nitrogen the rice needs to grow too?
    - krageon 8y ago
      I think on hot days you are supposed to "flush" the rice fields with fresh (cooler) water anyway. The runoff then goes back to wherever (a river or in this case maybe the ocean). Assuming that is true, I imagine that means any relevant nutrients are not flushed out by this process.

restalis 8y ago

Yes, we risk turning that wasteland into a desert! /s Considering the crop's nature, we probably have to assume that it won't be used sand for maintaining rice puddles but rather clay or something which can hold water. For higher concentrations of salt partial desalination can be employed. AFAIK, it's only expensive to desalinate if you want drinking water levels, otherwise it's just some filtering. Also, we can expect continuous work on those varieties of salty water rice to eventually be able to support lower and lower desalination maintenance.