Exchangeable Sodium and Yields of Cotton on Certain Clay Soils of Sudan

Abstract

Within Sudan there are extensive areas of Vertisols in the Nile River valley south of Khartoum. These soils have clay contents ranging from 40 to 60 per cent, very slow permeability, exchangeable sodium percentages up to 35 or more in the upper 60 a, and pH values between 8.0 and 9.6. Under present management, satisfactory yields of long staple cotton are obtained under irrigation on soils having exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) of up to 35 in the upper 60 cm. It is proposed that soil characteristics such as type of clay, cracking and exchangeable sodium in the hot, dry climate of Sudan influence soil structure and water availability and thus the yields of cotton.

Vertisols of tropical Indian environments: Pedology and edaphology

“…A constant supply of Ca 2 + ions from Ca-zeolites in these soils most likely helps maintain a better drainage system. Because of such natural endowment with a soil modifier, no ill effects of high ESP (>15) in crop production in the vertisols of Gezira in Sudan (El Abedine et al, 1969;Robinson, 1971) and in Tanzania (Ahmad, 1996) were observed. In addition, some vertisols of the AD climate of western India produce deeply rooted crops such as cotton under rain fed conditions comparable to those of the Typic Haplusterts of the SAM climate of central India.…”

Effects of Soil Properties on Sugarcane Yield in Sudan

“…The exchangeable sodium percentage also affects cracking, but levels of ESP encountered in the soils of both sites were not too high in the top 60 cm to affect the growth of sugarcane adversely, and relatively few sugarcane roots penetrated below 60 cm depth. Robinson (1971), working on similar Gezira soil, concluded that the presence of moderate amounts of ESP would increase the swelling and cracking of these soils, and therefore provide greater water penetration and availability.…”