Wheat Productivity Grown Under Moderately Saline Soil as Affected by Vermicompost, Magnetite and Sugar Industry Wastes

Abstract

ABSRACTA field experiment was conducted on clayey soil at Kom Abou-Khallad village, Nasser district, Bani-Suef Governorate, Egypt during the winter season of 2014/2015. This study was conducted to identify the effect of applied vermicompost at rates 2.5, 3.3 and 4 Mg fed -1 , magnetite at rates 100, 150 and 200 k.g fed -1 and Sugar industry wastes (a mixture of the Filter Mud and Sugar lime wastes with a ratio of about 1:1) at rates 6.7, 10 and 13.3 Mg fed -1 as either solely or combined treatments, on some soil properties as well as the vegetative growth, nutritional status and yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv Bani-Suef 5). The suitability class of the used irrigation water is C3S1 (ECiw = 2.08 dS/m and SAR= 7.12) for Baha drainage water.The obtained results of the investigated soil indicated that, the values of EC, ESP and pH, were decreased with application of vermicompost, magnetite and sugar industry wastes. These decreases varied from treatment to another, the best treatment was found to be (T 10 = filter mud + sugar lime (1:1) w/w (13.3 Mg fed -1 ) and T 13 = filter mud + sugar lime (1:1) (6.7 Mg fed -1 ) + vermicompost) as compared to the other combined or solely ones. However, the treatments effect on OM% and CEC have the opposite trend since their combination caused increase of OM and CEC values. Also, application of vermicompost, magnetite and Sugar industry wastes were more pronounced in decreasing soil bulk density, and increasing both hydraulic conductivity, total porosity and soil moisture content values. The obtained data emphasized that the achieved enhancing soil properties were positively reflected on the nutrient contents of plant tissues and plant parameters. (grain and straw yields).So that, it could be recommended that applications of vermicompost, magnetite and sugar industry wastes should be used to alleviate the hazardous effects of a saline soil or saline irrigation water. In addition, such favourable conditions should be enhance continuous biological activity and nutrients slow release along the growth stages of wheat plants, and in turn to minimize their possible losses by either leaching or volatilization processes. This approach represents a best