Effect of Gypsum and Compost on Growth and Yield of Washington Navel Orange under Saline-Sodic Soils

Abstract

I NCREASING saline-sodic soils area as a result of climatic change, wrong agriculture practices and unsuitable of nutrition sources were lead to malnutrition and caused low productivity and quality of citrus. The study focused on gypsum and compost application in the proper rates for coping with such variable parameters. The trial carried out during 2017 and 2018 seasons on Washington navel orange trees (Citrus sinensis L., Osbek) grafted on sour orange (Citrus aurantium L.). Six application treatments were examined for the purpose of the study, i.e., T1: control, T2: compost at 10 tons/ fed, T3: compost at 15 tons/ fed, T4: gypsum at 10 tons/ fed, T5: T4+T2 and T6: T4+T3. Field capacity (FC), Permanent wilting point (PWP), available water (AW), soil moisture and soil total content of NPK as indicators of soil parameter for application treatments were looked up. Growth parameters such shoot length, number of shoots/branch, number of leaves/shoot and leaf area, yield attributes such fruit set, fruit cracking, peel thickness, total tree yield (Kg), fruit juice volume, TSS, acidity, total sugars and vitamin C and leaf nutritional content of N, P, K, Ca and Mg were also determined. Results showed that T6 gave the highest results followed by T5, T4, T3 and T2 whereas T1 was the lowest ones for all parameters under investigations. The study aimed and recommends gypsum at 10 tons/ fed + compost at 15 tons/ fed for ameliorating saline-sodic soil and improving growth, yield and quality of Washington navel orange under such conditions.

Land Reclamation Using Compost, Agricultural Gypsum and Sugar Beet Mud.

“…Generally, all soil amendments at all added rates could not reclaim perfectly, but if the added rates of soil amendments increased, the efficiency may be improved. Similar results were found by Rao and Pathak, (1996) who stated that the application of compost to sodic soils was found to reduce ESP values.These findings are in harmony with the previous results of Abo-Ogiala and Khalafallah (2019) who stated that application of gypsum at higher rates to saline-sodic soils following by irrigation resulted an increase in sodium, chloride, potassium, manganese and zinc in leached water but decreased pH value, exchangeable sodium. Beside of Fisher (2011) reported that gypsum lead to aggregation which happened due to similarly charged ions accumulated at the same site and connect in stable aggregates such as Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ .Therefore, improving soil aggregation resulting salt leaching as a result of gypsum application and this leads to enhancing infiltration rate (IR).…”

“…The total soil porosity % of investigated sodic soil as affected by different soil amendments (compost, agricultural gypsum and sugar beet mud) ranged between 45 and 50 %, meanwhile control recorded 50%.Our finding is in harmony with those obtained by Hussain et al (2001) who reported the improvement in soil physical properties such as total soil porosity with the application of farmyard manure (10 Mg ha -1 ) integrated with chemical amendments and also resulted in enhancing rice and wheat yields under sodic soil conditions. Application of gypsum and organic matter also improved soil structure (Abo-Ogiala and Khalafallah, 2019). Table 7.…”