The evaluation of various soil conditioners effects on the amelioration of saline-sodic soil

The soil salinity and sodicity collectively are the major problems in the soils of Pakistan and proved a continuous threat for the sustainability of agriculture. A pot study was planned to ameliorate such problematic soils and for this purpose different soil conditioners were used viz. gypsum @ 39.078 g pot-1 soil gypsum requirement, Citric acid (CA) @ 29.067 g pot-1, H2SO4 @ 11.24 ml pot-1 and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) @ 19.98 g pot-1 and control without any amendment and wheat was grown as a test crop. The results showed that maximum decrease in pH and SAR were 8.31 and 12.04 (mmol L-1)1/2 by application of H2SO4 and citric acid respectively. Similarly H2SO4 and citric acid treatment show significant results related to crop growth and yield. The maximum plant height (63.33cm), number of tillers (4.63), photosynthetic rate ((2.83 µmolm-2s-1), transpiration rate (0.63 molm-2s-1), stomata conductance (0.53 molm-2s-1), were by application of H2SO4. while the results related to grain yield were as maximum grain yield by H2SO4 was (15.67 g) and minimum grain yield was observed with control (6.73g). Moreover the decrease in grain yield was as H2SO4 (9.98 g) > citric acid (8.33 g) > PVA (7.36 g) > gypsum (6.12 g) > control (5.53g). From this experiment it was concluded that H2SO4 showed quick impact on soil physicochemical properties and growth parameters but gypsum and citric acid were long term and sustainable source to reclaim and to make saline-sodic soils more productive as compare to other soil conditioners. Keywords: soil conditioners, amelioration, saline-sodic soi