Effect of filter press mud on compaction and consistency of aquert and fluvent soils in Ethiopia

Abstract

Soil compaction on sugar cane fields has been found to reduce yield and productivity. Influence of filter press mud (FPM), a residue obtained by filtration of the mud in cane juice clarification process, on compaction and consistency of Fluvent and Aquert soils was investigated on experimental plots. For compaction study, standard proctor test was employed and consistency parameters [liquid limit (LL) by drop cone method and plastic limit (PL)] were determined. Infield penetration resistances and basic infiltration were measured. The maximum dry bulk densities (MDBD) of the soils after standard proctor compaction were 1.42 and 1.30 g cm−3 at 28 and 29 % critical moisture content (CMC), respectively. For Fluvent, the CMC was at PL and on Aquerts at 66 % of the PL. For both soils, total porosity, degree of saturation and air-filled porosity were significantly improved by FPM application only at the CMC. Moreover, FPM increased cone index (CI) of the soil. On all experimental fields, the CI was below the critical value, but CI increment was observed around 20–25 cm depths after tillage. Basic infiltrations of the soils were 6.5 for Fluvent and 4.4 mm/h for Aquert, but effect of FPM was statistically non-significant.