International Journal of Soil Science and Agronomy ISSN: 1725-3497 Vol. 2 (4), pp. 074-078, November, 2015. © Advanced Scholars Journals

 Full length Research paper

Effect of Gypsum on the Reclamation of Saline-Sodic Soil in Arid Region of Jacobabad, Sindh-Pakistan

¹Imran Arshad*, ²Asadullah Sarki, and ³Zaheer Ahmed Khan

 ¹Agriculture Engineer, Star Services LLC, Al Muroor Road – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE),

²Asistant Professor, Department of Land & Water Management, FAE - SAU, Tandojam, Pakistan

³Lecturer, Department of Farm Structures, FAE - SAU, Tandojam, Pakistan

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 4 November, 2015

Abstract

An experiment was conducted on a sandy clay loam saline-sodic soil at Zulfiqar Farms, to evaluate the effectiveness of different treatments of gypsum on reclaiming saline-sodic soil for different soil depths in arid region of Jacobabad, Sindh – Pakistan. The experiment was laid out in a complete randomized block design (RCBD) with three replicates and with plot size of 50 ft x 50 ft respectively. The following five treatments were kept in study: T₁ = Control (without gypsum application), T₂ = 25% gypsum requirement (G.R) of the soil, T₃ = 50% gypsum requirement (G.R) of the soil, T₄ = 75% gypsum requirement (G.R) of the soil, and T₅ = 100% gypsum requirement (G.R) of the soil respectively. The subject study revealed that the gypsum application with different treatments brought a positive effect in reducing soil pH, ECe, SAR and ESP. Amongst different treatments, T₅ – 100% gypsum requirement of the soil was observed to be more suitable dose as it reduces the overall maximum soil pH 7.23 for 0-6 inch soil depth after leaching. Likewise, the overall maximum reduction in ECe, SAR, and ESP after leaching was 4.07 dS/m, 2.65, and 12.52 for 18-24 inch soil depth for same treatment T₅ respectively. Application of 100% gypsum requirement of the soil seems to be an economical and optimum dose to reclaim saline-sodic soil.

Key words: Saline-sodic soil, reclamation, pH, ECe, SAR, ESP, Gypsum, leaching, Jacobabad, Gypsum.