In order to assess effects of chemical properties of soil salinity on
electrical conductivity of 1∶5 soil water extract (EC
1∶5 ), the relations between EC 1∶5 and chemical properties of soil salinity were studied through Path Coefficient analysis. The results obtained show that total soluble salt concentration (SSC), Cl -, and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) were the most primary factors to EC 1∶5 of coastal salt affected soils, while pH, content of CO 2- 3 or HCO - 3, soluble sodium percentage (SSP) and sodium dianion ratio(SDR) affected EC 1∶5 very faintly. Though direct path coefficients between content of SO 2- 4, Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , K + or Na + and EC 1∶5 were not high, they were enlarged by influence of other chemical factors, making the summation of indirect path coefficients between EC 1∶5 and these factors relatively higher. Verification showed that the multifactor regression function between EC 1∶5 and most of the primary factors had sound reliability and very good accuracy, while errors in deducing
electrical conductivities based on the function would somewhat be greater when soil salinity was excessively high.