Role of gypsum and sulphur application in ameliorating saline soil and enhancing rice productivity

Abstract

The main objective of this work was to study the importance of applying gypsum and sulphur to the soil to inhibit the hazardous effects of soil salinity stress on the vegetative growth and yield quantity and quality of rice plants (Oriza sativa L., cv. Sakha 101) grown on a salt-affected soil irrigated with low quality water from the El-Salam (El-Shikh Zaid) Canal. Two field experiments were carried out during two successive seasons (2011, 2012) at Sahl El-Tina plain, village 4, Gilbana town. Gypsum was applied at a rate of 10.7 Mg ha)1 while sulphur was added in two forms, as elemental sulphur at a rate of 4.8 Mg ha) or as sulphuric acid at a rate of 1190 L ha. The results could be summarized as follows: The highest values of rice yield and its attributes as well as nutrient content and uptake were obtained after treatment with sulphuric acid. The treatment effects decreased in the order: sulphuric acid > sulphur > gypsum > control. The highest proline content (21.3 μmol g) was recorded after the gypsum treatment.