Approach for Reclamation and Improving Fertility of Saline-Sodic Soils

Approach for Reclamation and Improving Fertility of Saline-Sodic Soils
 
 
 
 



 



         A POT experiment was conducted under the greenhouse ……..conditions at the Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University to try reclamation and cultivation of saline-sodic soils. Soil samples were collected from Sahl El-Tin, Sinai Governorate, Egypt. Plastic pots were filled with soil. Soil was treated with compost or gypsum as soil amendments before filling. The gypsum and compost addition rate were 10.32 and 20 Mg ha^-1, respectively. The soils were leached with water having EC 1.2 dSm^-1using intermittent method. Reclamation requirements (RR) were calculated based on pore volume (PV). Soil was leached with amount of water equivalent 1.5 PV (1.5 PV was equal 4.85 liter of water). Leaching water amount was divided into 10 equal quantities each one equal 0.49 liter. Following termination of leaching, samples were taken from soils were amended with gypsum and compost and analyzed. After reclamation process, the same pots were planted with wheat (Triticum aestivum cv. Sakha 93) to study the effect of fulvic acid “FA” as application soil and foliar sprays with Moringa leaf extract “MLE” and Marine algae extract “MAE” as Ascophyllum nodosum (Phaeophyceae) on photosynthetic pigments, yield and nutrient uptake of wheat (Triticum aestivum cv., Sakha 93) under newly reclaimed soils with gypsum and compost. The results of the study indicated that gypsum and compost showed a pronounced decreased in bulk density, EC, pH, SAR and ESP compared with the initial soil with superiority of gypsum on compost in reducing EC, SAR and ESP. The highest values of plant height, leaf area, chlorophyll a, b and caroteniods, yield, straw and grain NPK-uptake,1000 grain weight and protein content were obtained with FA combined with moringa extract spray. However, non-treated plants showed the lowest one. Spraying with moringa leaf extract gave a significant increase in growth yield parameters; yield, photosynthetic pigments, NPK-uptake,1000 grain weight and protein content compared to foliar spray with marine algae extract in the two soils. Soils reclaimed with compost gave higher values of yield, straw and grains NPK- uptake and protein content than the values under application of gypsum under different treatments.