To determine its effect on salinity of the growth medium and on tomato (Lyc
opersicon esculentum Mill.) growth and yield, the halophyte Suaeda salsa (L
.) Papas, or seepweed, was planted as a companion plant in the closed insul
ated pallet system (CIPS). in this production system, water moves from a bo
ttom reservoir through capillary wicks to the medium in the root pouch in r
esponse to plant uptake. Fertilizers are placed at the top surface of the r
oot matrix, so nutrient ions move downward to the roots by chemical ion dif
fusion to establish relatively stable chemical gradients within the matrix.
Plants were subjected to capillary subirrigation water containing 0 or 4.g
L-1 NaCl. Sodium (Na+) concentration of the root medium at termination was
50 % lower when S. salsa was grown in the same pouch with tomato. Sodium c
oncentration was also significantly less in the tomato foliage, butS. salsa
did not prevent suppression of growth of tomato plants by NaCl. Suaeda sal
sa plants reduced blossom end rot of tomato fruit but did not significantly
affect fruit weight, number or yield.