A greenhouse pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of arc furnace steel slag as a silicon source on the nutrients availability and corn yield in alluvial soil. The experimental treatments were 0, 500 and 1000 kg steel slag/fed, and 1.68, 3.0 and 6.0 dSm-1 soil salinity treatments. Response variables measured included yield of grains and stover, content of nutrients and metals in leaves and grains, and the available nutrients and metals remained in the soil after corn harvest. Grains and stover yields decreased progressively with increasing salinity levels in the absence of steel slag. Application of steel slag mitigated the deterioration effect of salinity stress. Grain yield markedly increased with slag applications and optimized (16.7%) with 500 kg slag rate at 3.0 dSm-1 salinity level. At 6.0 dSm-1 salinity, the increase in grains yield was mild (10.6%) at both rates of slag (500 and 1000 kg fed-1). Stover yield, though increased with slag application under salinity stress, but the increase was inconsistent. Steel slag applications significantly reduced Na and increased Ca, Mg, K and P contents in leaves and grain under saline conditions, with a greater response for P. Zinc content increased, and Fe decreased in leaves and grain with salinity in absence of steel slag, while applications of steel slag did not affect Zn content in grain and straw at any level of salinity but promoted Fe content. The changes in Cu content were very limited. The contents of Cd, Ni, Pb and Cr were slightly changed with slag application and lie within the ranges being sufficient for corn. The available K increased with salinity in absence of slag. When slag added, available K content was rather increased with no consistent trend. Available P tended to decrease with salinity increasing, but markedly increased in the presence of slag at the same level of salinity. At 1000 kg slag rate, the available P was nearly twice than that of control either at 3.0 or 6.0 dS m-1 salinity level. Available Na and Si were higher in saline soils-untreated with slag. When slag applied, available Na decreased at any level of salinity, while available Si was slightly affected. This pattern was abundant with 500 kg slag rather than 1000 kg slag rate, suggesting that most of available Si combined with Na which inhibited Na translocation to plant tissues and hence its phytotoxicity. Available Fe increased with salinity, but rather increased with steel slag application. Copper, Zn and Ni availability were not affected with either salinity or slag application. In all cases the availability of the tested metals was not higher than the guide values assessing soil contamination by heavy metals. The application of the steel slag at 500 kg fd-1 was found to be more safety from the environmental point of view and agronomic benefits. However, field trails are still needed to confirm the greenhouse results.

The current study was carried out to compare and analyze changes in soil health of some new reclaimed soils under different management practices (cropping patterns, irrigation systems and, water sources) and under different cultivation periods (0, 5, 20 and 50 years). The study area lies in the North West of the Nile Delta and includes parts of the West Beheria Settlement Project (WBSP) and some surrounding soils. It was chosen to represent the dominated calcareous sandy soils at that region. Soil health index relevant to the investigated soils was proposed, and relative soil health index (RSHI) was calculated. Data indicated that cultivated soils of the study area are generally characterized by intermediate to low relative soil health / quality index (RSHI) values ranging between 38.75 and 67.00 %. Data showed also that cultivation tended to improve the soil health. However, changes in relative soil health values (∆RSHI) due to cultivation were found to be wide (4.75 -31.50 %) and this could be assigned to the variation in the crop pattern and management practices. Soils cultivated with vegetables and using Nile water as irrigation water have the relative highest values of ∆RSHI among the studied soils (26.0 and 31.5%) On the other hand, soil cultivated with fruits showed the relative lowest values of ∆RSHI (7.5 -8.0%) in the soils using the same source of irrigation water (Nile water). Using Nile water caused a relative higher ∆RSHI value (26.0%) than using artesian water (4.75%) in soil cultivated with vegetables. Soils cultivated for 20 years and using either drip irrigation or flood irrigation by Nile water reveal very slight variation in values of ∆RSHI under the same crop pattern. However, data indicated that ∆RSHI values in the drip irrigated soils using Nile water tended to decrease as land use period increased, while the reverse occurred in soils using flood irrigation. Results obtained from the application of MicroLEIS software are, to a large extent, in harmony with those obtained from soil health studies using the relative soil health / quality index values (RSHI) and their changes (∆RSHI values) as well as the soil health / quality classes. However, it can be stated that MicroLEIS software can be used only at the regional scale, as it showed only the major differences in the land capability, while RSHI can be used successfully in small areas, which have minor differences.

This paper summarizes the available information on the pollution of groundwater and irrigation canals from anthropogenic sources (sewage effluences and industrial waste water, and intensive fertilization) in northwestern Egypt Borg El Arab that leading to contamination of the soil-plant-animal. Excessive applications of fertilizers to field and vegetable crops lead to nitrate and phosphate contamination of groundwater and irrigation canals. In certain situations, nitrates exceed the dangerous level of 10 mg N/L. Industrial effluents, released without any treatment to sewage drains, contain potentially toxic elements with a concentrations that are several fold higher than those in domestic sewage water and exceed the maximum permissible limits for their disposal onto agricultural lands. The mean concentrations of Pb, Co, Cd and Ni in sewage water were, respectively 21,133, 700, and 2200 times higher than those in artesian water. The recommendation possible mitigation options for water pollution.There is an urgent need to effectively enforce regulations for the release of industrial effluents pertaining to primary, secondary and tertiary treatments. Educating farmers and public at large about the consequences of non-overkill Nitrogen fertilizer, pumping out shallow polluted water for drinking and domestic purposes, depleting groundwater resources, etc., is desirable

The current research aims to investigate soil characteristics, estimate the soil erodibility factor (K) and define the important soil properties affecting erodibility, wind erosivity factor (C), rainfall erosivity factor (R) and to find out the land capability and soil suitability classification in Abis region at south Mariut Lake. Representative forty one soil profiles were chosen to represent lacustrine soils at Abis region. The results indicated that the soils were developed in the lacustrine deposits of Lake Mariut and characterized by sandy loam to sandy clay loam texture in most profiles. The EC values ranged between 0.77 and 10.91 dS/m, ESP values being in the range of 1.73 to 18.26, total carbonate content ranged between 2.0 and 34.0%, pH values ranged between 7.51 and 8.83 at the surface layers. In the subsurface layers the corresponding values 0.83 and 13.86 dS/m for EC, 1.02 to 36.32 for ESP, 1.0 and 46.0% for total carbonate, 7.66 and 8.46 for pH. The result also, shows that the water table depth ranged from 25 to 120cm. The EC w and SAR of water table vary from 1.19 to 35.80 dS/m and from 3.16 to 47.18, respectively.The values of soil erodibility factors "K" ranged between 0.088 -0.112 for the studied area. Most of the studied profiles belong to class 2 which represent soils that are moderate erodible, while some of the studied profiles belong to class 1 which represent soils that non erodible. The K-values are positively correlated with %silt (r =0.68), %very fine sand (r=0.48) and %sand (r=0.33). In contrast they are negatively correlated with %CaCO 3 (r = 0.21), %organic matter (r=0.31) and %clay (r=0.51). The total value of Rainfall erosivity factor (R) is low (41.0) due to the relative dry climate, while wind erosivity factor (C) ranged between 3.33 and 18.28. The annual value of C was 134.5 and this relatively high value may be attributed to increasing of wind velocity in this area. With regard to Land capability, most of the study area was classified as class 2 (C2), while limited areas belong to class 3 (C3) which reflects fair or moderate capability with available water, hydraulic conductivity, soil depth and soil salinity as limiting factor. With respect to soil suitability, most soils were suitable (class 2) for the tested crops, while some soils were highly suitable (class 1) and limited soils belong to class 3 or class 4 which reflect moderate or marginal degree of soil suitability for some of the traditional tested crops. Regarding the sub classes, main limiting soil properties in most of the studied soils are available water, hydraulic conductivity, soil depth, salinity and exchangeable sodium percent.