Evaluation of amendments for the improvement of physical properties of sodic soil
2001
Hussain, N. | Hassan, G. | Arshadullah, M. | Mujeeb, F. (Soil Salinity Research Inst., Pindi Bhattian (Pakistan))
A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of different amendments and their combination on various properties (physical and chemical) of sodic soil and the resultant impact oft wheat crop. The treatments of this study were; control, farm yard manure (FYM=10 t ha-1), gypsum (equivalent to soluble carbonates + bicarbonates), gypsum + FYM, sulfuric acid (equivalent to neutralize carbonates + bicarbonates), sulfuric acid + FYM, gypsum + sulfuric acid (half of each), gypsum + sulfuric acid (half of each) + FYM. All the amendments were applied, 30 days leaching provided, wheat was grown and soil was analyzed after the harvest of this crop. It was observed that gypsum + sulfuric acid + FYM decreased bulk density but increased the porosity, void ratio, water permeability and hydraulic conductivity more than all other treatments. The differences were statistically significant. The effects of other combinations (gypsum + FYM, gypsum + sulfuric acid and sulfuric acid + FYM) were, in general, significant as compared with sole application of amendments. However, FYM had non-significant effect on these physical properties. Combinations of gypsum + FYM, sulfuric acid + FYM and gypsum + sulfuric acid also gave significant results than control. The ECe decreased non-significantly by applying all the treatments except FYM, gypsum + sulfuric acid and combination of all the three amendments which decreased ECe significantly. A slight increase was also observed in sulfuric acid based treatments. However, pH of the soil decreased significantly in all the treatments; whereas, FYM had no significant effect on soil pH. Sodicity parameter (SAR) of the soil decreased significantly when soil was treated with sulfuric acid, gypsum, FYM and their various combinations. All the treatments enhanced the subsequent wheat yield, which was assessed to be significant except FYM alone. The best treatment in this regard was also the combination of all the three amendments. Thus, application of amendments in the lesser quantities (equivalent to soluble carbonates + bicarbonates of soil) in combination may be a good strategy to reclaim the sodic soils.
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