Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL GEOCHEMISTRY AND HEALTH
Volume 37, Issue 3, Pages 575-586Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s10653-014-9674-8
Keywords
Saline soil reclamation; Soil micronutrients; Soil microbes; Soil enzyme; Ecosystem health
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Salt-affected soils in semiarid regions impede the agricultural productivity and degrade the ecosystem health. In South India, several hectares of land are salt-affected, where the evapotranspiration exceeds the annual precipitation. This study is an attempt to ameliorate sodic soils, by an experiment involving chemical treatment (addition of gypsum), organic amendments (decomposed bagasse pith and green manuring with Sesbania rostrata) and phytoremediation by plantation of Eucalyptus camaldulensis. The prime focus is to minimize the use of gypsum and improve the soil health in terms of nutrients, microbial population and enzyme activity in addition to sodicity reclamation. At the end of the third year, a reduction of 10 % in soil pH, 33 % in electrical conductivity and 20 % in exchangeable sodium percentage was achieved compared to the initial values. Three- to fourfold increases in organic carbon content were observed. Significant improvement in the available major and micronutrients of soil, microbial growth and enzyme activity was observed, suggesting phytoremediation by E. camaldulensis as a sustainable option for restoration of similar kind of degraded lands.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available