Effect of Different Amendments and Inorganic Nutrient Management Approaches in Correcting Sodicity under Paddy Eco System

Abstract

Agricultural production in sodic soil may be hindered by its unfavorable physicochemical properties. In order to find effective measure to improve the health of sodic soil and make it to favourable for crop production, a field experiment was conducted at ZARS VC Farm Mandya to study the effect of different amendments on properties of sodic soil. The experiment was laid under split plot design with inorganic nutrient management viz., RDF, SSNM and STCR as main treatments and amendments such as press mud, gypsum and Mangala setright, (a commercial soil conditioner containing 15% calcium and 3% magnesium and 5% sulphur) as sub treatments. Results of experiment revealed that application of gypsum significantly reduced pH to 8.5 from 8.96 of initial soil which was on par with application of setright at 600kg/ha (8.68) and press mud (8.69). Whereas exchangeable sodium and ESP was reduced significantly due to application of setright at 400 kg/ha (1.78 cmol/kg and 6.52 respectively) and pressmud at 100% GR (1.85 cmol/kg and 7.03) compared to control (3.69 cmol/kg and 13.72 respectively) and initial soil. Thus application of Mangala Setright at 400kg/ha or pressmud at 100% GR are more beneficial in rectifying sodicity of soil.