The Impact of the Organomineral Ameliorant During Washings (Leaching) on the Alkaline Soil Improvement in Azerbaijan

Abstract

Purpose: to study the impact of ameliorant and leaching on the properties of saline and alkaline soils in laboratory conditions. Materials and methods. Research work was carried out on the basis of currently known methods, widely used in the territory of the republic. The experimental experiment was carried out in four variants: 1) soil leaching with plain water; 2) soil leaching using 5 t/ha ameliorant; 3) soil leaching with application of 10 t/ha ameliorant; 4) soil leaching with application of 15 t/ha ameliorant. In all cases, the soil was washed with a norm of 15 thousand cubic m/ha. Experimental soil leaching under laboratory conditions was carried out in 5-fold repetition in special vessels in the following sequence. The air-dry soil was ground and sifted through a sieve with a hole diameter of 1 mm, the calculated amount of ameliorants was added to the soil and thoroughly mixed. The reclaimed soil was filled in special vessels with perforated bottom. By lightly tapping on the vessel, soil compaction was achieved up to 1.4 g/cubic cm, which was determined by the weight of the soil. A constant water layer of 5 cm was maintained above the soil in the vessel during the leaching period. Results. When conducting a laboratory experiment, it was revealed that when washing with ordinary water at a rate of 15 thousand cubic m/ha without ameliorant, the salt content decreased by 42 % in relative terms (from 2.188 to 1.265 %), alkalinity decreased by 7 % (from 12.24 to 11.34 % in terms of exchangeable sodium). The best option is leaching with a ameliorant + 15 t/ha, in which the total salt content decreased by 76 % (from 2.188 to 0.530 %), and solonetzization – by 73 % (from 12.24 to 3.35 %). Conclusions. The ameliorant is convenient to apply and creates conditions for desalinization and alkalinity reduction.