Effect of Gypsum, Sugar Factory Lime and Molas on Soil Characteristics and Productivity of Sugar Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) Grown on Saline-Sodic Soils of Nile North Delta.

Effect of gypsum, sugar factory lime and molas on soil characteristics and productivity of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) grown on saline-sodic soils of Nile North Delta

                                                            

Megahed M. Amer ⁽¹⁾, Ahmed S. El-Henawy ⁽²⁾ and Hassan R. El-Ramady ⁽²⁾

⁽¹⁾ Soils, Water and Environment Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt

⁽²⁾ Soil and Water Dept., Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh Uni., Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt

Corresponding author: Hassan El-Ramady (ramady2000@gmail.com)

 

Abstract

In Egypt, salt-affected soils represent 9.1 % from the total area and 30 % from the total cultivated area. Hence, improving these soils in Egypt could be considered as an important issue in the agricultural security program. Therefore, two field trials were carried out at the Experimental Farm, Sakha Agricultural Research Station, North Delta during the two successive winter growing seasons of 2012/2013 and 2013/2014. This study aimed to investigate the of effect application of gypsum, mixture (byproduct of sugar factory lime treated by commercial H₂SO₄) and molas and their interaction on some properties of salt-affected soils, productivity of sugar beet, field water use efficiency and their economic efficiency. These experiments were designed as split-split plot with three replicates. The main plots were occupied by gypsum (0, 12, 18, 24 Mg ha^-1), sub plots were devoted to sugar lime mixture (0, 9.6 and 21.6 Mg ha^-1) and the sub-sub plots were molas (0, 72 and 144 L ha^-1). The results showed that the amendments addition clearly improved some chemical properties of the studied soil. The common parameters of saline sodic soil i.e., EC, sodium adsorption ratio, exchangeable sodium percentage, bulk density and hydraulic conductivity were clearly improved by application of gypsum. The results showed also that combined treatments were more efficient than single one. Increase the rate of used gypsum led to a decrease in salinity as well as sodicity. The mean values of EC, SAR and ESP were decreased by-43.6%, -56.79% and -37.56%, respectively due to application of gypsum up to 24 Mg ha^-1, as compared to that without application. Application of sugar lime mixture and molas had insignificant effect on soil ECe, SAR and ESP after the harvesting of sugar beet in both growing seasons.

Keywords: Salt-affected soils, soil conditioners, soil properties, sugar beet, sugar recovery, economical evaluation