REHABILITATION OF PROBLEM SOILS THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGIES- II: ROLE OF SESBANIA (SESBANIA ACULEATA) AND GYPSUM

The effect of sesbania green manure and gypsum application (0, 50, 75 and 100 percent of gypsum requirement) on rice was investigated in a field study on a sodic soil at the Saline Agriculture Research Station, Sadhuke, Lahore, Pakistan. Sesbania was grown for two months and then incorporated into the soil as green manure. Gypsum was applied before the sowing of sesbania. Basmati 385 was used as the test variety of rice. Sesbania green manuring significantly increased the number of productive rice tillers. Although paddy and straw yields were also increased (13.1 and 14.2 percent respectively), the differences were statistically not significant. Productive tillers, paddy and straw yield were significantly increased by gypsum application. Differences in paddy yield due to 75 and 100 percent gypsum application rate were not significant indicating that gypsum applied at low rates was just as effective as high rates. Green manuring significantly increased N utilization by both grain and straw but did not impact P uptake. The application of gypsum significantly increased the N and P uptake; the differences between 100 and 75 percent gypsum requirement (GR) treatments were not significant, but were significantly higher than the 50 percent gypsum requirement (GR) rate