Abstract
Main physico-chemical characteristics, soil microbial biomass and microbial activities were measured in the soils from a field experiment, where irrigation waters of different sodicity with and without farmyard manure were applied previously for 9 years. The soil pH and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) increased with increasing residual sodium carbonate (RSC) of the irrigation water. However, the electrical conductivity was quite similar in all the treatments. The application of farmyard manure slightly decreased both the pH and ESP. The soils that received irrigation water of 16 RSC contained about 40% less total soil orgnic C and about 60% less total N than the soils that received 2.8 RSC waters. The amounts of microbial biomass C, ninhydrin-N and dehydrogenase activity in the soils given 16 RSC water were only one third of that given 2.8 RSC waters. A positive and highly significant correlation was found between the amounts of biomass C and ninhydrin-N ( r = 0.99); and between biomass C and dehydrogenase activity ( r = 0.90). The phosphatase activity also decreased with increase in sodicity of irrigation water. Thus, these results suggest that sodicity caused decreased soil microbial biomass, and microbial activities.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
