Abstract:
Amelioration of salt-affected
soils requires an integrated management
approach, which not only improves their
effectiveness for improving soil properties,
but also increases the crop production and
quality of the produce. Hence, a study was
planned to evaluate combined use of organic
and inorganic amendments for better
rehabilitation of salt affected soil in ricewheat
cropping sequence from 2013 to
2016. Treatments included T1 - control, T2 -
gypsum @ 100 SGR, T3 - CaCl2 @ 50%
SGR, T4 - CaCl2 @ 50% SGR + biogas
slurry @ 10 tˑha-1, T5 - H2SO4 @ 25% GR,
T6 - H2SO4 @ 25% SGR + biogas slurry
@10 tˑha-1. A saline sodic field was
selected, prepared and leveled. Composite
soil samples were collected and analyzed for
pHs = 9.15, ECe (dS m-1) = 4.86, SAR
(mmol L-1)1/2 = 42.52 and GR (tˑha-1) = 8.64.
Experiment was laid out in RCBD with
three replications. The inorganic
amendments (gypsum and CaCl2) were
applied 30 days before rice transplanting in
the respective treatment plots, followed by
leaching while biogas slurry was applied 15
days before transplanting and H2SO4 was
applied with first irrigation. Recommended
dose of fertilizer 120-110-70 NPK kg ha-1
for wheat (Inqlab-91) and 110-90-60 NPK
kg ha-1 for rice (Shaheen Basmati) was
applied. Soil samples were collected before
application of amendment and after
harvesting of each crop. Straw and
grain/paddy yield data were recorded at
maturity. Pooled data showed that
grain/paddy and straw yield of wheat and
rice crop was higher in T2 (gypsum @ 100%
SGR), but statistically (P≤ 0.05) non
significant with T4 (CaCl2 @ 50% SGR +
biogas slurry @ 10 tˑha-1). T3 (CaCl2 @ 50
% SGR) was at par with T6 (H2SO4 @ 25%
SGR + biogas slurry @ 10 tˑha-1), followed
by T5 (H2SO4 @ 25% SGR). The minimum
yield was recorded in T1 (control). Soil
analysis showed that pHs, ECe and SAR
were significantly decreased in T2, (Gypsum
@ 100% SGR), followed by T4 (CaCl2 @ 50% SGR + biogas slurry @ 10 tˑha-1).
Hence, CaCl2 @ 50% SGR + biogas slurry
@ 10 tˑha-1 may be an effective alternative
reclamation strategy for areas that are
restricted use because of salinity.
