Application of Natural Dolomite for Soil Upgrading

Abstract

Soil degradation is the conditions with low-soil quality. It can result in low fertility, in soil. To overcome this problem, soil-quality upgrading should be applied. For this study, the acidic soil from Nan, Thailand is used to upgrade the soil conditions to fit well with the agricultural activities by using natural dolomite as a waste from the industries. It is blended with the acidic soil in various ratios from 5-30 % by weight. The optimal conditions for various soil properties such as pH, electrical conductivity (EC), bulk density and soil texture are investigated. From the results, the higher amount of dolomite can improve the soil properties. Acidity is lowered from 4.832 to 6.047. Bulk density is decreased at 1.1114 g/cm3. Particle size distribution is sharply increased with the amount of dolomite. EC values are raised up to 4.25 dS/m. The natural dolomite can increase the soil quality from Nan province.