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Physico-chemical Amendment of Badarkhali Acid Sulfate Soil and Its Effect on Mustard

Md. Harunor Rashid Khan
Department of Soil, Water and Environment, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of basic slag ( BS), aggregate size (A) and Modified-Plain-Ridge-Ditch techniques as physicochemical amendments of pre-leached Badarkhali acid sulfate soil and its effect on the production of mustard. The initial soil had low pH (4.3), high exchangeable Al (4.13 cmol kg^-1) and pyrite content (48 g kg^-1). The average soil data of all the treatments, except for the control plots after post harvesting of mustard increased by 1.0 unit for soil pH_(water) and 17 to 116% for the contents of N, P, Ca and Mg. while the concentrations of Fe, Al, Cr and SO/ decreased by 26 to 92% compared with the initial soil. The max i mum stalk (3490 kg ha^-1) and seed (1682 kg ha^-1) yield of mustard were attained by the A₂₀BS₂₀, followed by A₂₀BS 1o A₃₀BS₂₀ treatments in the ridges of the Tech 2. The lowest stalk (211 kg ha^-1 ) and seed (82 kg ha^-1) yields were recorded for the control plot. The other treatments also resulted in significantly (p:S0.05) improved performance on siliquae/plant, seeds/siliqua, 1000 seed weight and harvest index of mustard compared with the control. The ind ividual ranking of the treatments for the reclamation of the soil in relation to the growth of mustard were: Tech 2 > Tech 1 ; BS₂₀ > BS_1O and A₂₀ > A₃₀.

Keywords: Soil, Physiocochemical, Acid sulfate soil, Mustard.

Location: Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh.

Start Date: 15-11-2003

End Date: 00-03-2004

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Mustard

Objectives:

To evaluate the effects of basic slag, aggregate size and modified-plain-ridge-ditch techniques as physico-chemical amendments of pre-leached acid sulfate soil and its effect on the production of mustard.

Methodology:

A field experiment was conducted in a fallow land at Badarkhali ASS located in the coastal old mangrove floodplain area in the Cox's Bazar district of Bangladesh. The land is usually inundated by saline sea water tides of approximately 0.2 to 0.6 m high (about 180 times a year). On the basis of tidal conditions, the height of the ridges constructed on plain land under the techniques used was 0.6 m. However, during the experiment, the study site was protected from natural tides by a dike (1.5 m high) around the experimental site. Eight soil series of ASSs were studied in the field and among these: on the basis of physiochemical properties, the Badarkhali ASS at Purbapukuria was selected for further studies in relation to crop production. The experiment was set up in a randomized block design with three replications. There was an approximately l.5 m wide and 1.0 m deep drain around the experimental field, an approximately 0.5 and 0.3 111 boundary around each main plot and subplot. respectively, for protecting the individual plot from the contamination of the treatments. Each main plot was approximately 10 m X 5 m in size and the subplot had an area of 1m X 1 m. Particle sizes of the bed materials of the plots were grounded manually into two aggregate (A) sizes of A 20 and A 30 (A: less than 20 and 20-30 mm). These plots were then subjected to flash leaching (5-7 times washing within a week till the soil pH became >4) by using rainwater (yearly rainfall >4000 mm) reserved in the nearby pond. Saline water intrusion and drainage water were controlled through dikes and flap gates. Basic slag was collected from a steel industry and then grounded to less than I mm sizes in order to apply in the field. The rates (1 ha^-1 ) of BS 10 and BS20 were incorporated into the topsoil (depth: 0-0.2 m) by broadcasting during ploughing. For in-situ neutralization of acidity arising from jarosite and pyrite layers in the modified-plain-ridge-ditc h techniques, the same doses of BS were incorporated into the subsoil (0.2-0.4 m) every 0.2 m using a soil slitter (5 cm diameter). The bulk samples obtained from the initial and post harvest soils were stored for a couple of days under field-moist conditions (by putting the soil samples into polyethylene bags in an air-tied box) just prior to laboratory analyses, when the sub-samples were air dried and crushed to 2 mm before analyses. Selected physicochemical properties of the soil were measured following standards methods. Plant height, leaf area and straw dry matter yield were determined at 30, 90 and after harvesting the mustard at 108 DAS at maturity . Numbers of siliquae/plant, seeds/siliqua. 1000 seed weight and seed yield of mustard were determined. The level of significance of the different treatments was determined using Duncan 's New Multiple Range Test (DMRT) and least significant difference.

Source of Information: Bangladesh J . Sci. Res. 2 1 ( 1&2): 1-13, 2008 (December)

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

It is concluded that the application of BS20 ranked top for the reclamation and improvement of productivity of the Badarkhali acid sulfate soil, followed by the A₂₀ > A₃₀ under Tech 2. The significant (p0.05) positive improvements of growth and yield of mustard, and soil properties were more pronounced under Technique 2 than that of Technique 1. Application of basic slag and aggregate size treatments in different techniques not only increased soil pH, but also improved ionic balance between Ca and Mg, and remarkably decreased the Fe and Al contents in the soil. The application of basic slag in the Badarkhali acid sulfate soil was an effective measure, also available at a reasonable price, which not only enabled to reclaim the soil and improved the growth and yields of the mustard, but was also economically effective and beneficial to the surrounding environment. Moreover, the modified-plain-ridge-ditch techniques and the use of different sizes of aggregates contributed for the physico-chemical amendments of the soil as well as improved the production of mustard. However, for a cost benefit analysis of these treatments in relation to acid neutralizing capacity for a long time in different fields, further studies on different soils and crops under variable climatic conditions should be carried out.

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