AMELIORATION OF SALT AFFECTED SOILS AND ITS PRODUCTIVITY USING SOIL AMENDMENTS AND TILLAGE SYSTEM

Abstract

Ameliorating the of salt affected soils, represent an important target in the agricultural security program of Egypt. In this concern a field experiment was conducted at El-Rowad Village, South of El-Hosainiya Plain, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, during two successive growing winter seasons 2016/ 2017 and 2017/2018 to evaluate the effect of different amendments with different two tillage systems on some properties of salt affected soils and its wheat production (Triticum aestivum) (Sakha 93). The experimental design was laid out in split- split plot with three replicates. The amendments were uniformly spread on soil surface and thoroughly mixed in the soil before sowing. This experiment was also carried under two tillage systems conservational and deep. The most important results can be summarized as follows: The effect of the conservational tillage and deep tillage with the addition amendment treatments, reduced bulk density, penetration resistances, decreased acidity, salinity and exchangeable sodium percent (ESP). On the contrary, increase the values of total porosity, hydraulic conductivity, organic matter, Grain yield, straw, total and harvest index. The achieved amelioration in physio-chemical and hydrological properties of the studied soil positively reflected on the increases of grain yields of crop wheat. Generally, it can be concluded that deep tillage, fine sawdust had decreased the hazardous effect of salinity of soil and hence exerted favorable effects on growth and yield of wheat. Finally, the obtained results suggest that this work is considered as scientific and logic fundamental base for a successful agricultural development of such salt affected area as well as possible to increase unite area income