Impact of Mole Drains and Soil Amendments Application on Management of Salt Affected Soils

Abstract

Ameliorating the saline-sodic soil process represents an important target in the agricultural security program of Egypt. In this concern, two field experiment were conducted at El-Serw Agricultural Research Station, Damietta Governorate, Agricultural Research Centre Egypt during two successive growing seasons from (2014 \ 2015).and (2015)Cultivated crops comprised wheat and sunflower in a consecutive sequence, to study effect of applied alternative gypsum, (it is fabricating from some of sugar industry waste in Egypt, which cause environmental pollution problems by mixing some materials or other wastes in order to maximize the benefit and use it as an alternative gypsum) with mole depth and mole spacing on a possible amelioration for some properties of salt affected soils and its productivity of crops. The experimental design was laid out in split-split plots with three replications was followed. The main plots were three levels of irrigation treatments [field capacity (I 1), field capacity +10% (I 2) and field capacity +20% (I 3)]. The sub plots were five mole drains treatments [ without mole(M 0),2m mole space with 30 cm depth (M 1), 2m mole space with 50 cm depth (M 2), 4m mole space with 30 cm depth (M 3) and 4m mole space with 50 cm depth (M 4)]. The sub sub plots were three alternative gypsum treatments [ Gypsum (control), alternative gypsum one(AG1) and alternative gypsum two(AG2)] at a rate of 5,71 Mg fed .-1 for each of them. The applied alternative gypsum treatments were uniformly spread on soil surface and thoroughly mixed in the top 15 cm. before sowing. Leaching requirements estimated and then amount of irrigation water applied. The most important findings can be summarized as follows: The effect of the depth, distance of the moles with the addition of alternative gypsum treatments and levels of irrigation treatments [field capacity +20% (I 3)]. Reduce salinity, acidity, bulk density, penetration resistances , total porosity,. On the contrary, increase the values of hydraulic conductivity, organic matter, Grain yield (Mg fed.-1), Water productivity (kg/m 3) and Water consumptive use efficiency (m 3 fed-1).The highest values of field crops and water use efficiency occurred when the integration and overlap between increasing the depth of mole to 50 cm, decreasing of the mole to 2 meters and field capacity +20% (I 3) with the use of alternative gypsum one (GA1) followed alternative gypsum two (GA2) and gypsum. The achieved amelioration in physio-chemical and hydrological properties of the studied soil positively reflected on the increases of grain yields of crops (wheat and sunflower). Finally, the obtained results suggest that this work is considered as scientific and logic fundamental base for a successful agricultural development of such salt affected area as well as possible to increase unite area income

Integrated Effect of Mole Drains Systems and Planting Methods on Saline Soil Chemical Properties and Wheat Productivity

“…Another example, SOM was decreased from 0.956% with zero tillage to 0.940 (M3) and 0.928% (M4) with 4 m drainage distance, recorded relative decrease by 1.67 and 2.93% at moles depth of 30 and 40 cm, respectively. These results as well as the mentioned examples, may be conducted that, with moles drains system applying especially under salt affected soils, organic materials must be added in sufficient amounts to improve soil health and fertility (Aiad, 2014;El-Sanat et al, 2017;Bayoumi, 2019;Abou Hussien et al 2020). Otherwise, either without (zero tillage) or with mole drains system under study, the data in Table (2) show that, the contents of SOM with basins planting method were higher than those found with furrows cultivation method.…”

“…For example, soil EC with 2 m distance between the drains were 8.99 and 8.67 dSm -1 with mole drains depth of 30 and 40 cm, respectively. The decrease of EC as a result of increase in mole drains depth and the decrease in the distance between the mole drains was attributed to high leaching amounts of irrigation water with these treatments, where such these treatments decreased soil bulk density and increased its total porosity (Kolekar et a., 2011;El-Sanat, 2018, Bayoumi, 2019Abou Hussien et al, 2020). Also, data in Table (2) show that, with the same treatment of mole drains (distance and depth) EC value with furrows planting method was lower than that found with basins planting method.…”

“…63, No. 2 (2023) channel while the stem prevents the lumps of topsoil associated with tillage from falling down into the channel (Kolekar et al, 2011).Mole drains (pipeless) was used on a large scale with heavy clay soils to reclaim it and improve their productivity (Antar et al, 2008;El-Adl, 2011;El-Sanat et al, 2017;Bayoumi, 2019).Deep plowing will improve the movement of irrigation water downward, carrying the salts from the surface layers, decreasing soil pH, EC, and ESP in combination with compost applications (El-Sanat et al, 2017;Abou Hussien et al, 2020). Distance between mole drains and their depth were the most important factors that affecting the efficiency of mole drains in improving saline soil properties.…”

“…Distance between mole drains and their depth were the most important factors that affecting the efficiency of mole drains in improving saline soil properties. Decreasing distance and increasing depth lead to decreasing soil EC and ESP (Aiad, 2014;El-Sanat et al, 2017;Bayoumi, 2019).…”

“…In addition, reclamation saline soil can be achieved to mitigate the effects of salinity through the application of soil amendments like gypsum and compost (Saied et al, 2017;Sahakyan et al, 2022).Many researchers have proven that adding compost and gypsum to saline soils had a great role in increasing wheat yield and reducing soil salinity (Bayoumi, 2019;Awwad et al, 2022;Hussein et al, 2022).…”