Amelioration of a highly alkaline soil by trees in northern India

Abstract

Abstract. A study was carried out to compare the impact of 6‐year‐old plantations of Prosopis juliflora (Swartz) D.C., Dalbergia sissoo Roxb. Ex. D.C. and Eucalyptus tereticornis Sm. on the physical and chemical properties of sodic soil in the Indo‐Gangetic alluvial plains of Uttar Pradesh, India. Soil properties under the three tree species showed significant improvement through a reduction in the pH, electrical conductivity, exchangeable sodium percentage, CaCO3 and gypsum requirement, and by increase in organic C, total N, and available P and K. The six years of reclamation had achieved a marked reduction in exchangeable sodium (from 11.5 to 4.5 cmolc kg−1) to a depth of 1.5 m in the soil profile, whereas the levels of exchangeable calcium, magnesium and potassium had increased. There was also a significant reduction in soil bulk density (from 1.66 to 1.24 g cm−3) and increases in porosity, water holding capacity, field capacity, permeability and infiltration rate. The equilibrium infiltration rate after 455 min increased from 0.03 cm h−1 in the control to 0.13 cm h−1 under P juliflora and D. sissoo and 0.10 cm h−1 under E. tereticornis. It is concluded that salt‐tolerant tree species have a significant impact on soil properties, which could help to rehabilitate the sodic wastelands in the region.