GYPSUM AND ORGANIC RESIDUE FOR AFFORESTATION OF SODIC SOILS

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out to determine a suitable source of organic residue and method of gypsum application for afforestation of sodic soil (Aquic Petrocalcic Natrustalf) in Sultanpur district of Uttar Pradesh in India. Twelve treatments consisting of four organic residue treatments (no organic residue, green manure, FYM and rice husk) and three gypsum application treatments (no gypsum, 125 q gypsum ha^-1 incorporated either in the pit, spread 2 m apart, at the rate of 5 kg/pit or broadcasted at the rate of 125 kg in each 10 X 10 m plot) were applied in four replications to Terminalia arjuna. It was inferred that ricehusk was the most suitable source of organic residue, and gypsum applied in a pit after mixing with excavated soil was the best method of its application for afforestation of sodic soils. Combined application of rice husk and gypsum mixed with soil in the pit gave maximum survival, growth and volume yield of T. arjuna in Natrustalf soils. Broadcast application of gypsum applied alone or in combination with green manure or FYM resulted in drying of plant tips after two years of growth and under severe stress conditions, mortality of plants.