Question

Why can't we use ocean water i.e. salty water for growing crops?

Answer 1

• Plant cannot grow in salt water because it will shrivel up and dehydrate.All living things need some salt. But too much salt is poisonous to plants. If plants grown in salty water, they take too much salt water in through their roots and excess salt get stored into their tissues that interferes with the chemical reactions in cells which the plant needs to make food and to grow. Finally, the plant's growth will get stopped and the plant may even die.

More to know:

• Seawater contains more salt. We can take small amount of salt only to maintain our body’s chemical balances and reactions. But we cannot drink too much salty water. If we drink seawater, our cells will take in water and salt. The salt content in seawater is much higher than what can be processed by the human body. The process of osmosis accelerates the release of water and dehydration. When we drink sea water, water leaves our cells in order to dilute the concentration of the salt water. Human kidneys can only make urine that is less salty than salt water .To release the excess salt urination would be frequent which lead to dehydration and ultimately to death.