Using Zeolite and Vermicompost Amendments to Improve Water Productivity of Wheat Irrigated by Low-quality Water in the Northern Nile Delta

Abstract

Aims: In the long run, reusing low-quality water in Egypt's agricultural sector directly or after mixing with fresh water to compensate for water supply constraints can be hazardous to plants and soil. As a result, some appropriate management must be considered. For this reason, a field experiment was implemented in winter seasons 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 at Sakha Agric. Res. Station Farm, Kafr El-Sheikh Gov., Egypt. This study aims to assess the impacts of zeolite and vermicompost as well their combinations on alleviation of low-quality water impacts on physicochemical properties of clayey soil and wheat productivity.
 Study Design: complete randomized block design with three replicates.
 Results: The application of 2.40 Mg Z ha-1 was found to be the most effective on soil properties and plant growth. This treatment reduced soil EC, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, SO42-, and ESP values the most (52.90 percent, 83.21 percent, 30.43 percent, 6.04 percent, 91.82 percent, 19.83 percent, and 70.73 percent, respectively), while increasing the K+ value by 32.47 percent. It also achieved the highest increases in plant height, 1000-grain weight, grain, and straw yields (35.92%, 9.60%, 42.77%, and 25.61%, respectively) when compared to untreated soil. With 2.40 Mg VC ha-1, the greatest changes in bulk density, total porosity, and CEC (-9.23, 9.30, and 10.54 percent, respectively) were obtained. The applications of 1.80 Mg Z with 0.6 Mg VC ha-1 and 0.6 Mg Z ha-1 with 1.80 Mg VC ha-1, on the other hand, resulted in the greatest increases in soil moisture content, drainable pores (DP), and water holding pores (WHP). Furthermore, 0.6 Mg Z combined with 1.80 Mg VC ha-1 significantly increased the available N, P, and K in the soil. The addition of 2.4 tons Z/ha increased the WP and resulted in a high economically appealing wheat.
 Conclusion: It could be concluded that the application of Z and VC is a new strategy for alleviating abiotic stress and improving wheat growth. Z application was more effective than VC on improving soil physicochemical properties and improving the water productivity and achieve high economical attractiveness wheat irrigated by low-quality water.