Investigating effect of some amendments on soil chemical properties in a saline-sodic soil

Reclamation is needed on about 130 thousand hectares of saline-sodic soils in the Golestan province. This field experiment was conducted on a saline-sodic soil to compare changes in chemical properties after various treatments. Treatments were: (i) gypsum، (ii) sulphuric acid، (iii) sulphur and (iv) a control. Also، 60 cm of water added to all treatments for leaching. Electrical conductivity (EC)، pH، exchangeable Na+، Na+، Ca+2 and Mg+2 of the soil in the saturated paste extract under each treatments were measured in the 30 cm and 60 cm soil depths after 40 days. All statistical analysis were performed using the SAS software package. Desalinization and desodification processes were observed in all the treatments. Gypsum and sulphuric acid application increased the soluble Ca+2 Mg+2 and decreased the soluble Na+ in the top 60 cm of soil. Therefore، gypsum and sulphuric acid application significantly decreased SAR، EC and pH in the top 60 cm of soil. Sulphur decreased SAR، EC and pH when compared to control in the top 60 cm of soil. But non-significantly decreased these same parameters. In general، for surface soil improvement، gypsum and sulphuric acid application was the most effective of the treatments used.