Young shoots of corn. malshkoff/Shutterstock To people, salt is a kitchen staple. But to crops, too much of it can be devastating. Across coastal regions and irrigated agricultural land, salt is accumulating in soils, making it harder for plants to absorb water and reducing harvests. Scientists estimate that around half of the world’s irrigated farmland is now affected by salinity to some degree. The problem is only expected to grow. Rising sea levels can push saltwater into coastal farmland, w