Effect of Zeolite and Silica Gel in Regulating the Water Requirement of Cabbage and Their Effect on some Physical Properties of the Soil

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the research station of the Department of Soil Sciences and Water Resources, which is 66 km east of city of Baghdad during the fall agricultural season for the year 2021. It is located at latitude 10.679" 33° 41′ north, longitude 36.569" 35′ 43° east and at an altitude of 43 m. Above sea level. The study aimed at the effect of zeolite and silica gel in regulating the water requirement of the cabbage and some physical soil characteristics and the growth and yield of the cabbage. The experiment was designed according to the distribution of split-split boards in a completely randomized block system (R C B D) with three replications. The experiment included three factors, The first to occupy the main panels is zeolite ((Z) with three levels (without adding zeolite Z0, adding 25 g to each plant Z1, adding 50 g to each plant Z2), and the second agent is silica gel (S) with three levels (without adding silica S0, adding 10 g For each plant S1, add 20 gm of the plant S2), and the third factor is the water requirement of the plant in two levels (adding the full amount of 100% of the water requirement for the plant W1, adding 50% of the water requirement for the cabbage plant W2). The dimensions of the experimental unit are 1.5 × 4 m, with an area of (6 square meters) for one experimental unit. The most important results obtained can be summarized as follows: The treatment W1Z2S3 recorded the highest value for the total porosity of the soil and the average weighted diameter and the lowest for the bulk density and soil resistance to penetration, and the values were 57.98%, 1.710 mm, 1.113 μg m-3, 0.900 kg cm-2, respectively, while the treatment W1Z0S0 recorded the highest value for the bulk density, which amounted to 1.380 Mgm-3, as for the soil penetration resistance, it reached its maximum in treatment W2Z0S0 and was 4.166 kg cm-2.