Amelioration of Saline-Sodic Soils with Tillage Implements and Sulfuric Acid Application

Amelioration of saline-sodic soils through land preparation with three tillage implements (disc plow, rotavator and cultivator) each followed by application of sulfuric acid at 20% of gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) requirement or no sulfuric acid application during crop growth period was evaluated in a field study for 2.5 years at three sites, i.e., Jhottianwala, Gabrika (Thabal), and Thatta Langar, in Tehsil Pindi Bhattian, Hafizabad District, Pakistan. Within 2.5 years, there was a decrease in the salinity parameters measured (electrical conductivity, pH, and sodium adsorption ratio), with a gradual increase in rice and wheat grain yields. It was observed that the disc plow, which not only ensured favorable yields but also helped improve soil health at all the three sites, was the most effective tillage implement. Also, application of sulfuric acid resulted in higher yields and promoted rapid amelioration of the saline-sodic soils.

A New Transplanting Approach to Enhance Salt Tolerance of Tree Saplings

A field investigation was conducted to determine the survival and growth rate of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehn.) and guava (Psidium guajava L.) saplings planted in salt-affected soils. The field used was highly saline-sodic in nature with a wide variation in electrical conductivity of the saturated soil extract (ECe), pHs, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and gypsum requirement (GR). A randomized complete block design was utilized with three treatments, i.e. T1 = plastic container bags totally removed, T2 = only the plastic container bag's base removed and T3 = plastic container bags un-removed. There were 34 and 8 plants in each block for eucalyptus and guava, correspondingly. The survival rates of eucalyptus and guava saplings were greater than 90%. In addition, gain in eucalyptus height was significantly higher in the T1 treatment where the bags were totally removed while for guava height the treatments were not significant.The gain in girth was not significant for both eucalyptus and guava saplings. With eucalyptus the taproot length was greater than the lateral roots while for guava the lateral roots were longer than the taproots.There was a decrease in the salinity-sodicity of the soils for the upper 30 cm depth under both types of vegetation, indicating that the salts had leached down to the B-horizon.

Defluoridation of groundwater by calcined Mg/Al layered double hydroxide

The present study evaluated calcined Mg/Al layered double hydroxide(CLDH)availability for the removal of fluoride from local groundwaters.The Mg/Al layered double hydroxide(LDH)was synthesized by coprecipitation method and characterized by XRD,FT-IR and TGA-TDA analyses.Batch defluoridation experiments were performed under various conditions such as calcination,solution pH,contact time,temperature,material dosage and reuse.Experimental results indicate that fluoride removal strongly increased after calcination of the LDH up to 600℃.The maximum fluoride removal was obtained at solution pH of 6.85.Kinetics of fluoride removal followed the pseudo-second order kinetic model.The rise in solution temperature strongly enhances the removal efficiency.The adsorption mechanism involved surface adsorption,ion exchange interaction and original LDH structure reconstruction by rehydration of mixed metal oxides and concomitant intercalation of fluoride ions into the interlayer region.The optimum dosages required to meet the national standard for drinking water quality were found to be 0.29 and 0.8 g/L,respectively,for Bejaad and Settat goundwaters.A decrease in the fluoride uptake with increasing the number of regeneration cycles was observed.