Phytodesalination and chemical and organic conditioners to recover the chemical properties of saline‐sodic soil

Abstract

Semiarid regions’ soils have been degraded by salinization. The use of chemical conditioners makes this management very expensive. As an alternative, organic conditioners can be used with plants adapted to the salts and phytoremediation, such as Atriplex nummularia Lindl. This study aimed to evaluate the use of phytoremediation and chemical and organic conditioners in the recovery of chemical attributes of a saline‐sodic soil in Brazil Northeast. A study was carried out by testing A. nummularia with the application of chemical (gypsum and anionic polymer) and organic conditioners (bovine and sheep manure), and a control treatment. The experiment was conducted for 18 mo with soil sampling at 6, 12, and 18 mo. The treatments did not modify pH but were effective in reducing the electrical conductivity. All treatments reduced the sodium adsorption ratio and the exchangeable sodium percentage. The use of A. nummularia and organic conditioners were as efficient as the use of chemical conditioners to improve soil chemical attributes, suggesting the use of these techniques in the management of soil degradation by salinization. Our study also suggests that local seasonal patterns and physical characteristics of soils influence the effectiveness of Atriplex and conditioners on the extraction and dynamics of salts. Phytoremediation may be complementary to the use of organic conditioners produced on the farm, making management more sustainable.

Bio-Organic Fertilizer Combined with Different Amendments Improves Nutrient Enhancement and Salt Leaching in Saline Soil: A Soil Column Experiment

“…Excessive soil salinity facilitates the absorption of Na + and Cl − in plants and impacts photosynthesis by reducing carbon (C) assimilation and water use efficiency, which results in water loss, atrophy, and necrosis of plants, leading to crop failure and desertification of land [4,5]. Currently, over 900,0000 km 2 of the world's total land is salt-affected, and affected land is growing at a rate of 10% per year [6,7]. Consequently, it has become very pertinent to ameliorate and re-utilize salt-affected soils to curb this development.…”

“…Salt-affected soils usually exhibit lower availability of soil nutrients due to poor soil structure and low organic matter content [8]. The exogenous amendments application is a common and effective method for salt-affected soils to improve soil nutrient availability Water 2022, 14, 4084 2 of 13 and soil fertility [7,9]. Many researchers have reported that soil productivity and fertility can be improved by adding organic materials such as compost, green manures, food processing waste, and farmyard and poultry manures [10].…”

“…Many researchers have reported that soil productivity and fertility can be improved by adding organic materials such as compost, green manures, food processing waste, and farmyard and poultry manures [10]. Bio-organic fertilizer is produced by fermentation with the above materials and a small amount of functional microbial strains [11,12] and has always been considered as a remediation material for improving soil nutrient content and soil fertility, promoting nutrient uptake by vegetation and reducing the toxicity of salt to plants [2,3,7,13]. In addition, considerable studies have suggested that organic fertilizer plays a crucial role in stimulating Na + leaching and electrical conductivity (EC) reduction [7,14].…”

“…Bio-organic fertilizer is produced by fermentation with the above materials and a small amount of functional microbial strains [11,12] and has always been considered as a remediation material for improving soil nutrient content and soil fertility, promoting nutrient uptake by vegetation and reducing the toxicity of salt to plants [2,3,7,13]. In addition, considerable studies have suggested that organic fertilizer plays a crucial role in stimulating Na + leaching and electrical conductivity (EC) reduction [7,14]. However, some researchers have also pointed out that long-term use of organic fertilizers may reduce the effectiveness of bio-organic fertilizers leading to salt accumulation [1].…”

“…For saline-sodic and sodic soils, it is important to increase soil permeability by altering the quantity and structure of soil aggregates to promote the passage of water required to remove salts [22]. Previous studies have reported that adding soil amendments can improve soil physical structure by increasing soil permeability and promoting water leaching and utilization efficiency [7,8]. However, the effects of organic amendments combined with organic fertilizers on water and salt migration and desalination efficiency of saline soils under leaching conditions are still unclear.…”