Agriculture Commons^™

Chemical Amendments Of Dryland Saline–Sodic Soils Did Not Enhance Productivity And Soil Health In Fields Without Effective Drainage, Girma A. Birru, David E. Clay, Thomas M. Desutter, Cheryl L. Reese, Ann C. Kennedy, Sharon A. Clay, Stephanie A. Bruggeman, Rachel K. Owen, Douglas D. Malo

Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Faculty Publications

A common restoration treatment for saline–sodic soils involves improving soil drainage, applying soil amendments (e.g., CaSO₄, CaCl₂, or elemental S), and leaching with water that has a relatively low electrical conductivity. However, due to high subsoil bulk densities and low drainable porosities, these treatments many not be effective in glaciated dryland systems. A 3-yr field study conducted in three model systems determined the impact of chemical amendments (none, CaCl₂, CaSO₄, and elemental S) on plant growth, microbial composition, temporal changes in electrical conductivity (EC_e ), and the relative sodium content (%Na). …